


Oh How I Hate the Fates

by Hex_Hyde



Category: Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Blood and Violence, Cody picks on his twin sister, Cole and Zac buttheads all the time, Cole just needs a hug, Dick Jokes, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Growing Up, High School, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Lyssa Lynn Ollie and Aurora love Cole so much, M/M, Mind Links, My best friends made me do this, Past Character Death, Past Torture, People are mean to our lovely teens, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Rewrite of book written years ago, Rivals, Royalty, Senioritis runs freely, Twins, War, Wolves talk to their human half in minds, but Max, if not they're crying, no in between, or laughing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-03-24 09:54:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hex_Hyde/pseuds/Hex_Hyde
Summary: Colette Grayson is the next Alpha Queen of the North American-European Werewolf Pack. Does she want to be Alpha Queen, though? Not really.In a world full of Old Alpha Males who try and dictate what she does, Cole tries her best to come out on top. She has to find her mate, take the crown, and reign in her anxiety and PTSD. Through in the mix of an Alpha Prince (Kalmin) from another pack wanting her hand in marriage, an cute as hell Omega (Greer), and an Alpha (Zac) that confuses the hell out of her from one of her packs, she's got a lot on her plate. As well as another war to go with the one already under her belt.Follow Cole, her twin (Cody), Zac, and all of her friends (Lyssa, Ollie, Lynn, Ellie, Jackle, Kye, & Morty) as she leads them through their worst year yet... Senior year of High School. (Not Ollie though, he the baby of the group being a Junior).





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_“RUN! LINK, PARKER! GET GORDON OUT OF THERE!” I ordered grabbing my sword off my left hip, swinging it towards the person running at me. The Beta and Delta took off after the Alpha to get him away from the fight. “CODY! WE’RE DOWN AN ALPHA!” I yelled to my twin._

_Cody nodded and ran towards me, “Time to do what we trained for, sis.” I shook my head. I wasn’t ready. I looked around at the battle ragging on around us. I saw Smitty and Ross grab a morality injured Gordon from the boys. Lyssa and Lynn were fighting their way to get to me, Ollie and Aurora trying to keep the girls backs protected._

_Jackle came running towards us, “Cole, you have to do this.” He laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and I closed my eyes. If I don’t do this then my entire pack will die. We already have far too many casualties on both sides of the battle. Realizing that it was my only option, I opened my eyes and faced the man we were fighting, Jason, Jackle’s father._

_I sheathed my sword, raised my hands, closed my eyes, and took a breath. I opened them and allowed the fire to start following from my palms. Cody mimicked me and allowed the water to follow out of his palms. We started walking towards the mad man, trying to protect our people. The closer I got, the hotter the flames felt. I heard screaming coming from him. I pulled back enough to let up the flames. Jason was gone. We won the war? I felt someone grab my neck and throw me to the ground. Jason stood above me, my sword pointed at my forehead, “This is what a coward Alpha deserves.” He reared back and-_

I sat up in my bed, panting. Christ that was nearly three years ago. I looked at my phone to check the time. 1:30 A.M. Just what I needed. I checked on my little sister sleeping in the bed on the wall opposite of mine. Thank God, I didn’t wake her. I climbed off my bed and walked out of my bedroom, down the hall to the kitchen. Dad’s snoring echoed throughout the house. I heard Max talking in his sleep, Mom’s faint snoring, and the basement door opening?

I looked from the cabinet to see Cody walk into the kitchen, “What are you doing up, CW?” I asked.

He glanced down at me, “I need to pee.” He sleepily answered as he brushed by me and walked towards the bathroom in the hall. I grabbed my favorite mug and cut on our Keuring to make some tea. I pulled out the box that held the different types of tea my family drinks and grabbed the chamomile. That tea can put me to sleep in a matter of seconds. CW walked back out of the bathroom just as I pulled the tea bag out of the hot water, “Did you have another nightmare?” I nodded as I checked the fridge for the honey. “Was it as bad as last time?” he asked. CW knows my nightmares can get out of hand quickly, ever since the war happened.

“Jason was ready to kill me this time. He was going to use my sword to do it. Called me a ‘coward Alpha’. Am I a coward for wanting to get my pack away? To protect Gordon?” I felt white hot tears bubbling in my eyes.

CW walked over and wrapped me in his arms, “Sis, you aren’t a coward. You protected your people, got Zac out of there when you saw how injured he was, and won the war because of how pissed off you became when Jason insulted your size.”

I laughed and grabbed my mug, “Thank, CW, I needed that.”

“You wanna stay with me tonight?” he asked.

“Let me drink my tea, then we can go to your room, okay?” He nodded. I finished my tea and walked down the stairs with my brother, hoping for a better nights’ sleep in the near future.

 

                                                                                                            ***

              

The next morning, I woke up in my brother’s room. “CW?” I sat up looking around the room for my brother. I saw the time on his alarm clock. 9:59 A.M. _Huh. It’s nearly ten. I can sleep for twenty more minutes._  I thought as I laid down… “SHIT! THE GIRLS ARE AT TRAINING!” I fell off my brother’s bed, sprinted through the basement and up the stairs. I threw open the basement door and ran all the way through my house, jumping over my two nephews playing in the hallway floor, and flew into my bedroom. I grabbed my training gear, threw off my pajamas, slid into my gear and Nikes. I ran back out of my room, phone in hand, sailed right over the babies, and ran through the kitchen grabbing my water bottle, keys, and granola bar from my Mom’s out-stretched hand. “Have fun at training!” she laughed. I jumped into the family car and drove to the training grounds with the Indie-Rock station blaring through the car.

 I parked at the grounds and looked at my girls-and Ollie-training in combat. We’ve gotten better over the years. Each one is important to the future of our pack. At 16, Ollie Todd is our resident general. Being my best friend for five years, he knows a thing or two about what to do when it comes to working with me. Aurora is our Gamma, working directly over Ollie. She is the mediator when I get out of hand in Alpha meetings. Aurora Bea bestows a calming effect over everyone in the immediate vicinity, but you really don’t want to make her mad or horribly excited. Lynn Morse is the Delta, higher on the podium then Aurora. She is the darker mindset of us. Lynn is a strategist, planning prefect escape routes, which is the opposite of me because I’d get lost in school if it weren’t for her. Our Beta is a lovely child by the name of Lyssa Crock. She’s been my right hand since we were in elementary school. Lyssa is basically the good half of my brain. Then there’s me, Alpha Colette Barbara Grayson, Crowned Princess of the North American and European Wolf Packs. My twin brother, though, is Cody Wallace Grayson, Crowned Prince of the North American and European Humans. I call him ‘CW’, just as everyone else calls me ‘Cole’.

Yes, believe it or not, all kind is under some form of monarchy. Take the vampires. Our packs used to despise each other (much like my relationship with Zachary Gordon, but I’ll cover him later), until I met the Blood Prince, Jackson Wayne. Jackson came to my pack as an Omega, believing that he was a werewolf with a serious shifting problem. Turns out that the Omega we came to love as Jackle, was the missing Blood Prince from the Vampire Kingdom. His father was an evil man that we destroyed. Jackle now reigns as the Blood Prince until May, when CW, Jackle, and I receive the full monarchy. Jackle is one of my closest friends and we can work together stoically in the meetings that we attend with my father.

“Cole! You’re late!” Dad said from his place on the field. Alpha Dave, Gordon’s father, stood next to him.

“Sorry, CW didn’t wake me.” I said externally, while internally questioning my brother’s statement about waking me in time for training.

Dave smiled at me, full on knowing that I was a small-girl-version of my father. They have been friends since they were little kids, so everyone automatically assumed that CW and I would be really close with Gordon. We didn’t even meet each other until we were eleven! And when we did meet… Oh, that was bad.

In May of 2011, Dad decided it was high time for me and CW to meet one of the many Alphas that would be working close with us. His name was Zachary Richard Gordon. Zac, as he like to be called, was-still is-the bane of my existence. He would never give me a break. From day one until his dad sent him off to Ali Alpha School in Arizona, he would be there. He loved walking into my room at the pack house and making himself at home. He would bug me in class, pick on me at training, and spend way too much time around me in general. I took to calling him “Alpha-Boy”, whereas he called me “Princess”.

I saw Gordon’s Beta, Link Young, and Delta, Parker Quinn, training amongst the others. Dad had pulled my girls from training, and I could see why. Lyssa had beat the ever living shit out of Lynn. I heard Lyssa ask Lynn how high she was today, “I’m 5 ft. 5, Lyssa. OH HEY COLESLAW!”

 _Jesus Christ, why is she like this?_ I thought.

Artemis, my nuisance wolf responded, _That’s because she loves you, Cole._

“Cole, we need to have a chat about your training…”

“So, you’re letting the girls stay, Dad?” I asked. After that, Ollie voiced his opinion on not being a girl.

CW, Jackle, Link, and Parker joined us just as Dad answered me, “They all need to be here. Cole, you have become to-what’s the word, Dave?”

“Arrogant,” Ollie answered.

“Cocky,” Lyssa replied.

“Tough,” Aurora exclaimed.

“A jock,” Lynn deadpanned.

“Too much of an Alpha,” Dave finally said after the rest of them went through different words to describe my tendencies in training.

“All of those things. You were a lot calmer when an alpha was around-” Dad started before I interrupted with “I’ve beat all the Alphas, Princes, Princesses, and any of the other pack members around the world. Daddy, there’s only one place that we haven’t gone to see if there is an Alpha there who can beat me. And _he’s_ there.” I sneered.

Dad huffed an angry breath, “We are leaving for Arizona on Friday evening. On Saturday, you will face the boys at Ali Alpha School, INCLUDING ZAC! Do you understand me?” I crossed my arms and nodded a slow yes. I really don’t want to see that child. God what has this world come too. “All of you are going too. Dismissed.” Dad’s voice boomed around the group.

 

                                                                                                                 ***

 

By lunch, I was fuming. Mom was supposed to take me shopping on Saturday with Lyssa for our final year at Northside. It’s bad enough that the old Alpha men hate me because I have the greater of the Alpha genes when compared to my brothers and sisters. I’m a small, thin-but-squishy, ginger-haired, sea-green-eyed, 17 year-old Alpha Princess. I just want to be normal, not hated on, not berated because I can barely act like a royal. When Dad and Dave had left, the flames had started licking my fingertips. CW grabbed both my hands, putting the fire out with the water from his hands. I wonder if Dad told her.

I sat down, still with sweat pouring down my neck, at the kitchen table. Mom was dancing around the kitchen, moving from the stove to the sink to the fridge and the pantry, as she made our lunch. “Mom, was it hard for you to integrate within Dad’s culture?”

She glanced at me, still stirring the marinara sauce on the stove, “When I met your father, it was a different time. I was set to marry another. Tony and your grandfather had come to meet me. It didn’t mean that we hadn’t met before. I was in my father’s office, working on-”

“Mom. I didn’t ask how you two met! I’ve heard that story thousands of times!”

“I know. Cole, it wasn’t that hard for me to take the crown… But when I had to prove that I was going to be within the werewolf community more than the human, yes, it was very difficult. It will be difficult for you to become queen. You will have troubles, they come with the title. But I believe that you can do it.” She looked directly at me, “Now, what’s up with the question?”

“I feel like Dad’s worried about me not being able to defend myself, even though I can defend myself perfectly fine,” I huffed out.

She snapped the spaghetti, “Cole, he knows you can defend yourself. Maybe the older Alphas are hounding him about you being mate-less. You know what your grandmamma said.” I nodded and stood up. “I was just going to tell you to shower.” She laughed. I smiled and turned down the hall walking to the bathroom.

When Jason decided to put my life into misery, Grandmamma had helped me and CW discover our powers. She also foretold what our mates would be like. She accurately described Ellie, who ironically was one of my friends, CW‘s mate. The thing is my mate was weirdly described. Lynn joked that Grandmamma sounded like Professor Trelawney. My mate is supposed to be stronger than me, slightly slower than me, able to physically keep up with me, just be my opposite.

 

                                                                                 ***

 

Friday night put me in Ali Alpha School South Wing with my best friends in the room with me. “Apparently, these boys train 24/7, Cole. How do you think they will faire against you?” Ollie questioned. I spun around in the swivel chair from the desk to look at my best guy friend lounging on one of the two queen beds. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

Aurora and Lyssa lost it when Lynn didn’t even phase from watching the movie on the television, “Olivander, you are really underestimating our lovely Alpha over there. She can kill a man with a look. I’ve seen it.”

“If there’s one person there that can at least cause me to sweat tomorrow, he’s gonna start at Northside with us in two weeks.” I told him.

“What if it’s Gordon that beats you?” Aurora had sobered up enough from her laughing fit to ask me.

“I’ll kill him. Simple as that.” Thank God for Lyssa. If we hadn’t met, I don’t think that Gordon would still be alive right now. I probably would have killed him the moment he called me a ‘spoilt princess’ when we were twelve.

I nodded in agreement, “She really will. I will probably tape it too.”

“How did I end up with a bunch of morbid teenage girls as my bosses?” Ollie asked looking down at his phone. I slipped out of my chair, shutting my laptop, and flopped right on top of him, “COLE! YOU’RE REALLY HEAVY!”

I shifted on the bed beside him, “Because, yes, Ollie, all girls want to hear about their weight.” I curled right up against his side, “Plus you’re really warm.”

“EW! P.D.A.” Ellie said as she walked into the room.

Ollie shifted and pulled me closer to his chest, “If you want to be grossed out about P.D.A., you should see how we feel every time you and CW are in the same breathing space.” He answered.

Ellie looked at us, “Dad texted Cody, telling him that we need to go to bed now. We have to be up at 6:30 in the morning.” All of us whined.

I squirmed out of my best friend’s arms and walked to my duffle, “You heard the old man’s messenger. Let’s get some sleep.” I grabbed the old soccer jersey that I had stolen from someone’s room without his knowledge. It’s not either of my brothers’. It’s not any of my guy friends’ or my father’s old shirts. I slipped it over my head, the Northside Soccer Crest resting on my chest, the number ‘16’ large on my back, and the name ‘Gordon’ boldly across my shoulders. Something about his sent comforts me. I pulled off my skinny jeans and walked over to the bed Ollie was on, “Lyssa, you gonna sleep in my bed or Lynn’s and Aurora’s bed?”

“Lynn’s.” She answered. I climbed into bed with Ollie and flipped over to face my other friends, “She just cock-blocked him, HAHAHA!”

Ollie groaned and grabbed my waist dragging me towards his chest, “Why are you like this, Cole?”

“It’s called being the older one, child. Plus we need to sleep.” I murmured closing my eyes. I felt Ollie’s breathing even out as Aurora killed the lights and Lynn cut off the television.

I felt eyes on me, “How do we know that she won’t have another nightmare tonight?” Lyssa’s voice said.

“I don’t know, Lyssa. Let’s just get some sleep. We have to be there for her in the morning,” came Aurora’s response.

 

                                                                                                         ***

 

About 1 in the morning, I woke up from another nightmare. Ollie was facing the window, snoring. Lyssa and Lynn had mushed Aurora between them, all peacefully asleep. I looked over to the desk, where my laptop and phone sat. _Artemis, you awake?_

She answered right away, _Sadly. Cole, do you want to talk about it?_

_No, Artemis._

_Okay. I’m gonna go back to sleep now. One of us needs her energy tomorrow._ With that, I felt her go to the back corners of my head. I slid out of bed and sat down on the desk chair, cutting on my phone. That’s when I heard it. A whimper. I saw the keys to the room hanging on the back hook of the door. I grabbed them, opened the door, and tip-toed down the hall. As I padded down the hall, the whimpering got louder.

The room was shut tightly, the whimpering behind it increasing to yelps. _Maybe one of the Alpha went into Heat or Rut,_ I thought to myself. I sniffed the air, _Nope, only fear._ Hmm… what could have happened to this kid?

Just as I was about to go in and investigate, it stopped. I heard the thumping of footfalls getting closer to the door. I jumped away and pushed myself against the wall. I made sure to remain calm because this Alpha radiates an aura that he could easily overpower me.

The door opened and the sent hit me like a ton of bricks. _Masculine, sweat, fear?_ Thank God that I had Gordon’s old soccer jersey on because this Alpha would be able to pick up on my Alpha Female sent if I had on the pajamas Mom buys me to use.

He spun around, “How am I in two places at once? Wait… I can smell you, girlie.” That’s really creepy. “Who are you? And how did you get my stuff?”

I was fighting every instinct I have to run and hide with my father when I answered, “The real question is, why are you scared?” 

“It’s nothing. I just had a night- Like I said, it’s nothing. What are you doing in an all-boys boarding school?” He questioned me.

I felt the atmosphere change around him, “Business.”

He started walking towards me, “You have my clothes, though. Are you one of them fan-girls?”

 _His clothes? Wait WHAT?_ “No. This shirt was left at my pack house… so I took it.”

“You’re from the royal pack, aren’t you?” Gordon asked me. This dumbass. Really? What other girls would come from _his pack_ on business to an _Alpha School_?

“No. I’m definitely from the Blood Run Pack.” I said sarcastically.

He studied my form for a minute, “I feel like I know you from somewhere, but I can’t think where. Plus my sent in overpowering yours, so I can’t smell you. _Where do I know you from?_ ” he was getting irritated.

“Zac, man, are you okay out there?” came a voice.

Another masculine voice came from the room, “What’s going on? Who are you talking to?”

He looked from me to the room, “Guys, I’ll be in there in a minute.” I took that que to start down the hallway back to my room, moving in a quick, but silent sprint.

I got back to my room, “What the hell just happened?” I asked myself out loud.

Ollie sat up, “Cole? What are you doing standing by the door?”

 _Really, me coming into the room wakes him up?_ “I went out for a walk, Ollie.” I walked over to the bed and climbed in with him, “Go back to sleep, Olive.” I kissed his forehead in a sisterly manner as his eyelids fluttered shut. I curled right up with him, and went to back to sleep.

 

                                                                                                   ***

 

At 6:30 sharp, my twin brother came barging in, “GUYS GET UP! YOU’RE GONNA MAKE US LATE!” he screeched at us.

I went to sit up and glare at him, when I realized that Ollie had managed to stretch himself on top of me. I threw my best friend onto the floor with a huff of annoyance, “Cody Wallace Grayson. You have exactly 10 seconds to explain yourself for barging in my room when the girls are getting ready now?”

“Um… Well, I-” a fully dressed CW started.

“Dude, its best you leave.” Ollie groaned out from his spot on the carpeted floor. CW nodded and walked out of the room. I swung my legs over the bed, stepped over Ollie, and grabbed my duffle off the floor. I placed it on the bed and pulled out a sports bra, one of Connor’s old football t-shirts that I use to train in, a pair of running shorts, and my ankle socks and shoes. After I got dressed, Aurora put my mass of curly hair into a French braid pony tail as I wrapped my wrist.

We walked out the room, seeing Dad, Dave, CW, Ellie, Link, and Parker, all ready to leave. “Ready, sweetie?” Dad asked me.

“As I’ll ever be,” I said as I looked down. I really don’t want Gordon to figure out that it was me that he saw last night.

We started down the hall and saw the headmaster and one of his secretaries standing there waiting for us, “I hope you all slept well. It’s nice to see that the royals are faring so well. We will be heading to the East Wing. All the boys are already in the gymnasium waiting. We can move them of course, which ever suits your pleasure, your highness” He told me.

“I believe the gymnasium will suffice, Headmaster.”

“Very well, follow me.” He lead us through the school towards a set of double doors, behind which held about 1200 rowdy boys ages eleven to eighteen. One of those boys is Gordon. The headmaster pushed open the doors, “All Rise for the Royal Court of the North American and European Werewolf and Human Packs.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

I followed my father and brother into the gymnasium, my pony tail swishing with each step I took.  The boys all around gasped. I kept my eyes forward, not wanting to see who I would be fighting. Dave had informed me yesterday that I’d be fighting all the boys from age 16 to 22… That being said, I’ll face off against a couple of the professors to see which one will become my “guard”.

The first one was stretching in the middle of the floor. I walked towards him, plopping down next to him to start my stretches. The kid moved out the way, “Let me give you some more space, Alpha Princess.”

I stretched my right leg out, “No need. I have friends and family around constantly. I barely even know what personal space feels like. You could stay, unless you’re uncomfortable…” The boy stood up and walked to his start position, “Okay, then. I guess we’re doing this now.” I stood up, barely stretched properly, and took in the boy’s form. _This is gonna be a quick one._

 _They all look really easy to take on, Cole._ Artemis voiced her opinion. I glanced around the room and realized yea, they all will be easy to pin. In my moment of lapse, the boy started to me, fist drawn for a punch. I easily flipped over him, grabbed his free hand, and threw him down onto the ground. “NEXT!” the headmaster’s voice boomed over the uproar of the gymnasium. Apparently, these boys have never seen something like me. Well, they’re in for a big surprise. As the next one came walking towards me, I started looking around. _Gordon’s around here somewhere._

_I know this, Artemis. Can you smell him?_

_Over the stench of sweaty, hormonal, alpha, teenage boys, no._

I looked into the bleachers and focused on listening, “Did you see that, Zac?!”

“She does stuff like that all the time. It’s nothing to be impressed about, Carey.” Replied the boy sitting next to him, his face hidden by his inquisitive friend.

“How would you know?” came the question.

The boy shifted, his face came into focus. _Oh he’s going down._ I thought as I narrowed my eyes.

“Um… I read a lot about her last night,” Gordon said, unsure of his answer. I smirked at my next opponent in front of me. Well, well, well. What can I do to show that Gordon used to train with me? The boy charged and I easily took him down.

                                                                                                ***

Two hours later, I was still not tired. I had faced all but one student. That student was standing behind me as I was re-wrapping my wrist. I knew what he was gonna do, but I needed to throw him off. “Hey, Lyssa?”

“Yeah, Cole. What’s up?” my best friend asked from Dad’s side. That gained the attention of all my friends and brother.

“How do you distract someone to throw them off?”

“Depends on what they are to you…” She looked around me to my opponent. “Take your shirt off, he used to trip over his own feet every time you would train in your sports bra.” She whispered to me. I smirked and grabbed the base of Connor’s shirt, puling it over my head. Whistling resounded around me.

“So, it’s gonna be that way, _Princess,_ ” came the deeper, but familiar draw of Gordon.

I kept my back to him as I made my way back to the mat, “Let’s fight to see how well this school has trained you.” I stood facing the wall and zoned out the world around me.

                                                                                                ***

_“Come on, Grayson, I know you have it in you.” Gordon’s lanky form yelled to me from his place behind me._

_He came charging and I grabbed his hand flipping him to my front, “What was that, Gordon? You thought that I couldn’t keep up. Guess again, Alpha-Boy.” I panted. At age 15, with a war on the horizon, Dad was working us harder._

“You two need to work better together.” _Dad would tell us. I landed roughly on my back with the lanky, small, 15 year old Alpha straddling my hips. I froze, never in our training had we landed this way. The boy, himself, seemed to have frozen, too. In that time, I snapped out of it and quickly flipped us. “Princess, think about what you’re doing there.”_

 _I smirked at him before I pushed off, “Try and keep up,_ Alpha-boy”

                                                                                ***

Gordon charged at my back, ready to take me on. I flipped over him, kicking his bare back in the process. _When did he loose his shirt?_ I thought as I saw him push himself off the floor. “I see you have finally mastered that move.” He huffed, and charged at me again. This time he managed to block my defensive attack. I ended up flipping onto the floor and slid across the floor. I took off, running directly at him, and swung my right leg at his head. He grabbed my ankle and threw me into the wall. I groaned as I slid down the wall. I hit the ground, staggering to my feet.

Once I stopped swaying, I took off again. Now, I’m mad. You could tell that we both were. His eyes had shifted to the piercing green I know to be Orion’s, mine shifted to the electric blue of Artemis’s, flames kissing my fingertips. I swung my right fist aiming for his face, flames bursting up my arms. He caught me fist, making me blank. _WHAT THE HELL? THE FIRE WENT OUT!? HOW!?!_ In my confusion, he managed to pin me to the floor, sitting heavily on my hips, “Who’s the Alpha now?” he taunted from above.

I thought back to some tricks that my older sister, Maggie had taught me. I thrusted my hips up into his, throwing him off balance. I quickly pinned him, my hands on his wrist and legs over his, and panted out, “Guess again, _Alpha-Boy_.” That’s when I felt it. The sweat dripping down my neck, the quick breaths I was taking, my heart beating fast, my muscles trembling to life.  I sat back, landing on his hips, before fumbling to get my bearings, “No. Nonononono. NO! THIS ISN’T HAPPENING!” I yelled, eyes widening, searching for my father. Dad had stood up, “Father! No! I don’t want him! I want someone better!” I had shakily took off running to my father as the other boys started leaving the gymnasium.

He eyed me, “Colette, you know what we discussed beforehand, he’s the one to protect you.” He looked behind me, “Welcome back, Zachary.”

“Pleasures all mine, your majesty. It’ll be an honor to work closely with the princess again.” Came the voice that I have recently learned to be post-puberty Gordon. I spun around to face him, only to realize that there is a naked chest in front of me, instead of a tuff of brunet hair. I followed the chest up to neck leading to the face of the bane of my existence. He looked down at me, “Can I help you, _Princess_?” he asked in a tone that only I get.

I stared at him for a solid two seconds, before I let out a huff of annoyance. Just as I was about to answer, Aurora ran up. “Cole! I swear, I didn’t mean it. I really didn’t know that he would be like that!” My best friend was stressing. I grabbed her frantic hands, stopping her in the process. The rest of my friends ran up to us, Link and Parker not far behind. 

“Rora, you didn’t know. None of us knew. You were joking and that joke happened to come true. Calm down, or you will have to train with Cody instead of Ollie.” She stopped immediately. I spun around, poking Gordon in the chest, “You and me have to have a little chat about boundaries, understand?” I stood on my tip toes, trying to look him directly in the eye, until Ollie lifted me up enough to do it.

Gordon smirked, “Really now, Princess? I figured that I could just move into your room until you find your mate.”

“I have two different rooms, idiot.”

“Son, go pack your things. We leave tomorrow morning for Virginia.” Ollie put me over his shoulder as Dave starting talking to his son. Ollie spun on his heel and took me to my room, the girls chatting animatedly following us.

                                                                                                ***

By 9:00 A.M., I was 39,000 feet above the ground. The plane had just taken off from the airport, for our trip back to Roanoke. I was sitting in front of my father and Dave with Gordon next to me, “Okay, so what you’re saying is that I don’t have to be with her 24/7?”

“That’s exactly what they’re saying!” I was getting aggravated with the buffoon next to me. “God, Gordon! I’m nearly an adult woman! I don’t need some aggravating Alpha by my side every damn minute!”

He eyed me, “Was I talking to you?”

I huffed out an angry breath as I looked to our fathers. Dave snapped at his son, “She is your superior, listen to her! If not, you will go back to Arizona! And not become Alpha of our pack!” My eyes widened. I have never seen Dave so fed up with him.

I felt Gordon flinch beside me, “Maybe I don’t want to be Alpha! Ever thought about that.”

My head snapped in his direction, “How do you think I feel?!” He just looked at me. I promptly stood up and marched to where my friends and brother were seated. “CW, can you hand me my phone?”

“Why should I?” he questioned.

I narrowed my gaze, “Unless you want me to start listening to my music on your phone, then hand me yours.” He handed me my phone, glancing back at our father in the process. I plopped down on the couch beside CW who had Ellie curled up on his lap. “You two are gross.”

“I’m going to talk with the guys,” Gordon said to our fathers before standing up and walking to the back of the plane cabin. I glanced at him as he walked by. I slid in my earbuds, clicked play on my music, and listened to the flow of the singer’s voice and the beat of the music. I closed my eyes, leaning back in my seat, waiting to get on solid ground again.

                                                                                ***

“-son, wake up. _Grayson._ ” The voice in my dream said.

“Let me _sleep_.” I moaned out, stressing on ‘sleep’. Then I was shaken.

“Princess, no. We’re on the ground.”

I slowly opened my eyes, coming face to face with Gordon, who was right in my face. My eyes shot open and pressed myself closer to my seat, “GORDON! WHAT THE HELL?”

He leaned back, “You’re dad told me to take you to the pack house. I needed you awake so I could leave.” He smirked at me.

“Where is everyone else?” I asked as I stood up. I leaned backwards, popping my back in the process, before reaching my hands above my head trying to stretch out my muscles.

“They already left. Cody grabbed your stuff to take back to your house.” He said when I turned back to him. He had a slight blush on his face, “What?”

I raised an eyebrow, “Are you…?  Are you blushing?” I asked confused. When he didn’t answer, I started laughing, “What made you blush?” I questioned through my laughter.

He looked down at the floor, “Nothing… Just thinking of something… Can you stop?”

“Stop what?” I giggled out.

He gestured to my laughing form, “Laughing! Grayson! Come on!” I tried my hardest, but it wasn’t working. Each time I looked at him, he was still blushing and it made me laugh harder. “Princess!” he groaned when I bit my lip.

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop now.” I giggled. He stood up and walked off the plane with me following, “Question?”

“Answer.” He said to me. I crossed my arms over my chest. “What’s your question, Princess?” he asked when he realized I had stopped in the terminal.

“How are we gonna get to the pack house if everyone already left?”

He looked at me like I was stupid. Gordon reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, “Dad drove my car here and rode with your dad back.” I let out a small ‘Oh.’ “Any more questions you got there?” I shook my head. He then spun on his heel and starting walking, “Keep up, Princess. I don’t want to explain to your dad and brothers how I lost the next Alpha Queen in Roanoke.”

I really wish the first kid one, not him. I could see myself sitting in a meeting with him, not Gordon. But the fates have something in store for me with the boy in front of me, I can just feel it. It’s probably his death, but oh well. Let’s see how well this car ride goes.

                                                                                ***

I scrolled through Tumblr, finger ready to post whatever caught my eye. I was quietly humming along with “Castle on the Hill” playing on the radio, wind whipping by us as we had rolled the windows down as so as Gordon started the car. Gordon pressed on the break, causing me to slide forward with a yelp. Thank God I always wear my seat belt. “What was that for!?”

“The light was a second from turning red! What did you want me to do?” He looked from the stop light to me.

I clicked my tongue at him, “I don’t know, maybe speed up like the rest of us!”

He glared at me before turning his gaze back to the road before us. I glanced out my window to see a girl in the car next to us. “I feel you.” She said to me. “Our boys are messes aren’t they?”

‘Yeah… me and this buffoon aren’t dat-”

“Babe, how could you say that?” Gordon groaned from the driver’s side. “We’ve been dating for years now! Or did you hit your head the last time we-”

“Finish that, and you won’t ever find a girlfriend.” I interrupted him. My underlying tone was that I was going to kill him before he found his mate. I turned back to the girl, “We have never dated, let alone gotten along. Sorry about him. He’s…” I pursed my lips, “Well, you saw.”

The girl laughed as the light turned green, “See you guys around.” Gordon stepped on the gas and we started down the road again.

“Why did you tell that girl that we were dating?” I snapped at him.

He shrugged, glancing at me from the corner of his eye, “Maybe I wanted to see your reaction.”

I huffed, “Somethings never change.” I grabbed my phone and unlocked it to see the next post on Tumblr.

“You’re just jealous cause I get an earlier chance at finding my mate than you.” He said from my left.

Never taking my eyes off the post screen, I replied with, “Sure, whatever floats your boat.”

“You sure have changed, Princess.”

“People can change in two years, Zachary. They can change a whole lot.”

                                                                                ***

Ten minutes later, he pulled into the pack house garage. It was more like a parking garage that you’d see in the city, but you couldn’t see it from the air. We had a driveway that lead to a four door garage which hid the road leading to the parking garage under the house. “Do you remember where the Alphas park?” I asked him.

Gordon turned down one row, “I might not have lived in Roanoke in two years, but I do remember where to park. I only used to come here just about every other day that we didn’t have training.”

“If you weren’t here, training, your house, or school, you were in my house.” I deadpanned. “If we’re gonna work together for my ‘protection’, then we need to set up some ground rules.”

“Oh really? I thought that I was gonna live in your breathing space until you find your mate.” He sneered as he got out of the car. He started up the lot, heading to the door that would take us to the main hall.

I got out the car and put my hands on my hips, “You are to respect me. I am _your_ Alpha, after all.”

“ _I am_ your _Alpha, after all_.” He mimicked me.

“I did not miss your attitude at all.”

He spun around, “My attitude? _My attitude?!_ Princess, you are the one with the hell of the attitude.”

“I put up with your shit for years! Your attitude is horrible, Alpha-Boy!”

“How so?” He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow in the process. At least he keeps his hair short, now.

I stomped towards him, “From the moment I saw you in the ha-gym yesterday, you’ve only been mean to me! I’m fed up with it!” I threw my hands up in exasperation, “ _Oh look at what I can do! I can pin Alpha Princess! Grayson sucks!_ Shall I continue?” He huffed and stalked towards the door, leaving me behind. I ran to catch up with him. _Why are his legs so long?_ “Are you gonna answer me?” He didn’t even phase from his pissed off gait. “See, this is also your attitude! What are you? An aristocrat with Daddy issues and decides to become a brat?”

“One more word, and I’ll tell the whole pack about how much you actually missed me.” He had spun around so fast that I had to jump back.

I raised an eyebrow, “Considering I stole your clothes… I really don’t think that the pack will care.” I sassed him. I did steal his old clothes. He certainly didn’t need them, and I always need clothes.

He looked at me confused, “You wear my clothes?”

“Is that Dad calling me? Yep. I gotta go. You know Alpha business to attend to. _Royal_ Alpha that is…” I ran around him and towards the stairs on the other side of the hall.

“Grayson. _Grayson! PRINCESS!_ Come back here! We’re not done here!” I heard his fading voice yell to me. I continued to run past my father’s office to my own. I burst into my office to see the girls, Ollie, Jackle, Morticia, and Kyle already there. Lyssa had commandeered my swivel office chair with Kyle, whom we call Kye, poised behind her. Lynn and Morticia, who we call Morty, were lounging on one of the couches in there. Ollie was leaning against my ancient oak desk. And Jackle was smiling at me from the windowed alcove in the old bookshelves.

I, then, saw Connor and CW having a discussion on my balcony. “Do I need to talk to them?”

“Yeah…” Ollie answered as he pushed himself off my desk, “Cole, we heard you two come in. What happened on the way here?”

Kye answered for me, “Zac probably opened his mouth.”

“Oh he did alright. Now if you guys will excuse me, I have to talk to my brothers.” I walked around them to the balcony doors. “Hey Con, how’s Artie doing?”

“Arthur is doing just fine as any 3-year-old should. Cole, how was Ali Alpha School?”

I looked at my older brother, “It was chaos.” I glanced over to CW, “Did you tell him?” CW nodded before I moved my gaze back to Connor. “Ah, so CW told you?”

The 29-year-old looked at me, “Sis, you know that I can take him out for you if you don’t want him to work with you.”

“I know… Dave needs his son though.” I answered.

CW spoke up, “Plus we need to see how her next Heat will go since Zac is back.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing that CW was right. “But Dave needs him more, CW.”

“You’re right sis, now I’m gonna go and check on Ellie.” CW said as he started walking towards the doors.

I looked to Connor as he moved to the railing of the balcony, “We aren’t gonna be seeing him at dinner. Plus they were together the whole trip.”

“Still hate affection, runt?’

I smiled up at my brother, “Who do you think I am?”

He started laughing, “There’s my little sister!” he threw his arm around my shoulders. I looked out to the mountains around us when he spoke again, “Cole, you aren’t ready, are you?”

I laughed dryly, “If you had the gene, would you have been ready at 18?”

“Honestly, I’m pretty sure Dad would kept the crown until I was dead from old age.” He tried to joke. “But no, I wouldn’t have been ready. I know Mom says this all the time, but I have a feeling that you are going to change things for the pack… Even if that boy is your protection or not.” I laughed at him. “Good, now I have got a playdate with my son at the park! I’ll see you later,” he stated as he kissed my forehead. I watched as he walked through my now empty office.

I followed him in, instead of going straight like him, I turned to look at the other sets of doors, one leading to my “private” office, the other leading to the secret room that connects to Dad’s office. That room was one that my great-grandpa put in for my Papa to entertain him as a boy. Ironically, Dad never found it, I was the one to find it. And no one knows of it besides Papa and me. I took the one leading to my private office.

                                                                                ***

I stood on the wooden stool in my private office, earbuds in with one of my favorite bands playing, concentrating on my art piece that I had just blown up using the project.

The private offices for the Royal Alphas tended to have both Alpha and their mate in mind. They usually receive theirs at age 13, the mate joining them whenever they find said mate. Mine has stuff for art spread out everywhere… even on the work out equipment that I use all the time. There are counters, a couple of desk, easels, chairs, stools, yarn, a ton of paint, clay, brushes, paper, pencils, and erasers. I had pulled my hair back into a loose French Braid, and probably had pencil on my face.

I stepped off the stool to look back at it, “Huh, I need to erase that line and move it in more.” I thought aloud. I saw one of the balls roll out of place from the counter I had placed them upon. _Weird. Why would a soccer ball roll off the counter?_

_Who knows, Cole…? Who knows…?_

_Thanks for that Artemis, I really need that._ I said sarcastically to my wolf.

She sassed me right back, _This is why Alpha Zac said that you are the one with the attitude problem._

 _Is it now?_ I asked just as sarcastically. I picked the ball off the floor and put it back on the counter. I felt her leave my mind when I started my way back to my stool. I climbed up and started working on erasing.

No one, other than that of the Alpha’s mate and their close families and friends can enter the private office. It’s almost like a safe haven for them to escape, besides their rooms. My room here was typically filled with Gordon’s scent till he left for Alpha School, so I really couldn’t go there to clear my head. I was so focused on the project that I didn’t notice the presence behind me.

My right earbud was viscously ripped out. It snapped me out of my zone. I looked over my right shoulder, trying to locate the source of who ripped it out. I’m right handed and my earbuds were fed up my shirt so I wouldn’t catch them on anything, so that eliminated my faultiness. “Why do you have soccer balls in your office?” I looked the other way seeing Gordon messing with the balls balanced on my counter.

“Um… How did you get in here?” I asked really confused. The guy that I despised was standing in my private office.

“The door was open.” He stated as if I was insane. He jumped onto the closest counter away from the balls, but held the soccer ball in his hands.

“Gordon, this is my private office. How did you get in here? Jackle couldn’t get in here until he proved that he was my close friend. He’d walk into a force field type thing.” He didn’t know how to respond.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“So this is your private office?” Gordon asked from seat on my counter.

I looked at him out the corner of my eye, “What gave that away?”

“Honestly, I was expecting some form of track running along the out skirts of a dungeon type thing.”

I wiped my forehead, pencil lead appearing on my hand. “No… I mean, yeah sure I could see the whole track thing, but the dungeon?”

“You have to torture people somewhere, Colette.” He said twirling the ball in his hands.

“Alpha-Boy, what did you not understand from _Alpha’s Private Office_?” I jumped off my stool and walked over to him.

 I grabbed the ball from his hands, “Hey! I was playing with that!”

 “So I noticed.” I deadpanned. I placed the ball back on the counter where the others were. I then walked back to him and lent on the counter beside him, “Why are you here?”

 “You never let me finish our discussion from earlier…”

 I furrowed my eyebrows, “What discussion?”

 He looked me in the eye, “The one about my clothes.”

 _Yeah… I probably shouldn’t have said anything about that…_ “What’s there to talk about? You left and I knew that you’d probably either grow or shrink- I was leaning to the shrinking-so I took your clothes. I always get Connor’s, CW’s, and Max’s old clothes. Ollie just gives him to me, even if he can still wear them, so I thought, ‘Hey, I need clothes. Gordon don’t need them anymore, so free range!’” I explained as I crossed my arms.

“But why my-”   “COLE!” a small voice interrupted Gordon. My youngest nephew came barreling towards me from the stairs. I moved from my place leaning on the counter and leant down, catching the two-year-old fairly easily.

“JJ! Get back here!” I heard Paige yelling at him, followed by thunderous footsteps. “Sorry, Cole. I wasn’t expecting him to-” She stopped when she saw Gordon, “How did he get in here?” She asked pointing to him.

I shifted JJ on my right hip, “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.” I glanced at Gordon from the corner of my eye as he jumped off the counter.

He walked in front of me, “Who’s this little guy?” He started messing with the toddler, making him squirm in my grasp.

“I’m JJ.” JJ exclaimed. “And I’m this many old!” he held up 3 little fingers.

I reached over, gently putting down his ring finger, “JJ, that’s not right. That’s how old Art is, not you. You’re two, remember?” I held up two fingers with my left hand.

“YEAH! I’m two!”

Gordon smiled, “Well, I’m Zac and I’m… I don’t have enough fingers for this.” He looked at me with such worry.

I looked at the toddler, pointing to Gordon, “He’s the same age as me, JJ. He’s one of Uncle Cody’s old friends.”

JJ’s expression lit up at the mention of his favorite uncle. He lets the babies get away with things that the rest of us-excluding Dad of course-won’t let them get away with. I’m their favorite aunt because I always have some type of food on me. “You know Cody?” he asked Gordon in awe.

“Yes, I do. I even know you’re whole family!” Gordon exclaimed, throwing his hands out to gesture wildly. I stepped back, not expecting that

JJ squirmed even more, trying to jump from my arms to Gordon’s outstretched ones. “Kid, if you keep doing that, I’m going to drop you.”

“I want Zac!” the toddler blurted. _I just lost my nephew to GORDON!_

He stepped forward and took JJ from my hands. I huffed out, “Traitor” as I crossed my arms again.

“Let me tell you about my adventures with your aunt over there…” He stated, placing the toddler where he had been previously seated. I walked over to my little sister, who had an amused expression on her face.

“Just wait till he meets Arthur.” She laughed. I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, were you two having a meeting or something? Cause I can take JJ away if need be…”

“I was working on my next project and he just walked right in, scaring the living daylights out of me. Besides, if we were having a meeting, I would have it in my regular office. You know the secrets to this place.”

“You don’t think that he-”

I interrupted her as JJ laughed at something Gordon had embellished something that he had done when we were younger, “Paige, I highly doubt that he is... I think that JJ will be safe here. So I’ll clean up while he’s distracted and you can go and hang out with your friends.”

“Okay, Cole. See you later, Zachary! Bye, JJ!” she waved to us as she walked back down the stairs. I started picking up the extra supplies laying around, and tuned in to the story Gordon was telling.

“-then I whipped around to see what Cole wanted, only for Cody to tackle me from behind!” Gordon continued from his wild gestures, enacting what had happened.

I cocked an eyebrow, “That never happened. JJ, Zac over there is full of himself.” I told the giggling child. I lifted him off the counter, placing him on the floor, “Now, c’mon you two, we have a pack house to explore!” I grabbed JJ’s hand and started down the stairs.

“I’ve been everywhere in this place, Grayson. I highly doubt that there is someplace that we can explore.” Gordon stated following me and JJ slowly down the stairs.

“Wanna bet?” I asked just as we hit the landing. I walked out of my office, over to the far wall that was covered in pictures, and lifted the small one with a horse on it. I felt around for the little hole, “Ah ha!” I put my index finger into the hole, feeling about for the button.

Once found, I pressed it, causing a door to open right where Gordon was leaning. “WHAT THE-” he said as he fell to the ground.

“You never know what answers that you can find around here.” I said as I pulled Gordon off the ground. “Now, you can carry JJ, since I know my way around this place.” I put my nephew into his arms, pulled my phone out of my back pocket, cutting on the flash light, “This way.”

                                                                                ***

“So these were the servant halls?” Gordon asked as we continued down the set of stairs.

“Not exactly. These were what the servants used, but they were mainly for the royals to move their children should they be attacked.”

“If Jason had attacked us instead of us attacking him, what would have happened?”

“Then Dad would have put all of us in here. We are the next leaders and he would have hidden us away. When Jackle took over his castle, he brought me over. We had found plans that Jason had derived to attack us when we were least expecting it. He didn’t, however, take in to account that we had his son as a viable asset.”

Gordon was silent for a minute, “You two were dating then, weren’t you?”

I answered whole heartedly, “Yeah, Jackle was my boyfriend, but that’s in the past now…” I cleared my throat, “Anyway, see this outline?” I moved the flashlight to it, “It is the hidden entrance to the kitchens. Who wants food?”

                                                                                ***

Lyssa stretched herself out on my bed at the pack house, “What a day.” Aurora glared at Lyssa when she moved her arm causing Aurora to move the hand that held her phone. The cool summer breeze flowed throughout the room from the open windows and balcony doors. The beat of the song playing from the Bluetooth speaker filled the room around us.

“What did you do all day? Besides Kye, you know I really don’t want to talk about that.” Lynn said from her place on my beanbag. I was laying on the floor, watching as my old husky slept peacefully in his bed.

“Well, I was going to the training room, and I saw the weirdest thing.” She started, not letting Lynn’s words get to her. “You know how Rosie has been seeing this guy for a while now, and they look really cute together, kinda like how certain power couples in Hollywood look-“

 “LYSSA! FOCUS!” We all screamed in frustration at the Beta.

She froze, “Sorry… Anyway, I’m pretty sure that Jaime marked her. So she might me off the market.”

“Lyssa,” I started.

She glanced at me, “Yes, Cole?”

“Jaime marked her last month. We literally saw her the next day. She showed it to you then.” I exclaimed to my very blonde best friend.

“Wait really?” she questioned.

Lynn looked to me, “How are we sure she didn’t get into my stuff?”

“Because Ellie would have gotten into it too. And we would be hearing the results of that right now.” Aurora didn’t even look up from her phone as she answered Lynn. She’s right though. Never want that to happen again. What makes it worse is the fact that the rooms are sound proof, too…

Lyssa, who was ironically super sober, looked around at us, “I came here for a good time… Kye wouldn’t treat me this way.”

“Whatever you say, Lyssa… Whatever you say.” I told her.

Aurora finally put her phone away, “Cole, what did you do today?”

I thought back to the adventures that I had with JJ and Gordon, “Nothing… I was just hanging out in my private office, working on my next project. Why do you ask?”

“Oh just wondering because I saw you and JJ in the kitchens with Zac earlier.”

 _Uh oh…_ “Me and JJ got hungry, so we went to the kitchens and Gordon was there… That’s all.” I said to her.

She smirked at me, “Ok, Cole. Sure that what happened…” I rolled my eyes. It’s not like anyone else saw us were mainly in the old halls.

My bedroom door opened as Jackle walked in, “Hey Cole. Girls, how are you guys today?”

“As good as can be.” I ruffed out. I rolled onto my stomach, looking up at the prince before me, “What brings you to me, peasant?”

“Considering I spend most of my time around you and live here… I was bored with the guys. They wouldn’t stop talking about their mates and what they do with them.”

“Join us and leave Olive Garden and Zac to fend for themselves!” Aurora exclaimed.

Jackle walked over to my bed, flopping down next to Lyssa, “Actually, Ollie was the only one there. No one has seen Zac since he asked Tony were Cole would go to hide from him earlier this afternoon.”

“I saw him, so did Aurora… I thought that he went off to find Link and Parker… At least that’s what he told me.” I pushed up onto my elbows, remembering what he had told me before he left me and JJ in the library. I stood up to walk to my desk, grabbing one of the suckers out of the jar resting next to my desk lamp. I placed the sucker in my mouth looking back to my friends, “What?” I watched them share a look, “Seriously guys? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Cole, how would you know that?” Lyssa asked sitting up.

I was really confused. “Know what?”

Jackle moved his gaze to the door, “That Zac said that he was going to Parker and Link?”

“He told me,” I stated as if they knew that, especially since they just told me. “Besides, he’s fine. He’s in a place that he knows his way around in.”

The night continued on in that manner. The following week would be the start of my last year of high school. I laid awake in my room, staring up at the celling feeling the stress of the foreboding year creep up on me. I sat up, swung my legs off my bed. I put on some of my training gear, grabbed my Nikes, and started towards the training room.

                                                                                ***

“C’mon.” I swung my fist at the dummy. The burn and strain of my muscles made me feel more alive than when I went to Ali Alpha School. I spun around, swing my left leg, allowing my heel to connect with the dummy’s face.

I heard her before I saw her, “Cole, should you really be up this late?”

“Mags, I think that I’m fine. I’m nearly a fully grown Alpha. I can handle a little sleep deprivation. It helps that I’m in high school.”

“Cole.”

“Plus it’s great practice for college.”

“Cole. It’s not good for you. I know that you’re scared to go to sleep because of what you will see, but if you keep this up, you could very well die.” Maggie told me.

 I faced her, “I’m fine. Besides anything could easily kill me. My next Heat, getting hit wrong in practice, accidentally stabbing myself, choking on a-never mind.”

“I doubt that your next Heat will kill you.” Maggie cocked a smile.

I mumbled under my breath, “You didn’t hear what the doctor said if my next Heat is a dry one…” I sassed her, jutting out my right hip, “A Heat can kill a bearing wolf, you know this.”

She shook her head, “What’s really going on?”

 _I am not ready to take the crown. I am a coward Alpha. I am mate-less. My world is crumbling before me._  “Nothing, Mags. Now shouldn’t you go to bed? I mean you have to keep up with JJ.” I laughed.

She walked up to me, wrapping her arms around me, “You know you can talk to me.”

“I know.”

She laid her nose on top of my head, then shoved me away. “Cole, I love you and everything.. But go shower! You stink!” I laughed before starting to the door with Maggie. We heard a noise coming from the training room entrance. We both looked away from each other to the door. “What was that?”

“I don’t know. I’m gonna go and shower. See you in the morning, Maggie.” I turned to the locker rooms, going in to shower.

                                                                ***

“COLETTE BARBARA GRAYSON! GET UP NOW!” The voice yelled at me. It startled me from my fitful sleep, causing me to fall off my bed and flat on my face. Paige was laughing at me from her bed.

I rolled onto my back and yelled right back, “I’M UP, WOMAN!”

Paige’s and my bedroom door busted open, “I don’t need your sass, young lady.” Mom told me.

“Mom, you may want to close the door. Cody’s about to walk out the bathroom and you don’t want him to see his twin in her underwear and her _guard’s_ shirt.” Paige spoke up. Mom nodded and walked right back out of the room.

“Thanks, lil sis.” She nodded once before catapulting off her bed into the hallway, “Oh, no you don’t!” I took off after her, racing to the bathroom. She slammed the door on my face. “What a way to start senior year.”

“Is that my shirt?” footsteps came up the hall. “I really should have guessed you were the one stealing my clothes.”

“Zachary, if you say one more word you will surely reject it.” I slid down the wall, eyes drooping to my knees in anguish.

He walked in front of me, “And why’s that?” he asked stooping down into a kneel before me.

I moved my eyes from my knees to the boy in front of me, “I can barely stand your voice when I’m fully awake… What makes me think that I can stand you voice when I’m slowly waking up?” He shrugged just as the door to the bathroom opened, “You take forever, Paige!”

“Like you need it…” Paige brushed pass me going back to our room.

I walked to the bathroom and looked at Gordon, “Start my coffee, peasant.” He rolled his eyes and walked back down the hall to the kitchen. CW decided that it would be smart to allow Gordon to stay in his room for the first week of school. I was thinking about what I was gonna wear as I stepped back out into the hallway after I finished in the bathroom. The smell of coffee filled my nose, as well as the smells of Mom’s signature ‘First Day of School’ breakfast. I heard the chatter of my three brothers and three sisters, the beat of the radio and Mom’s singing, the rustling of Dad reading the paper, and the toddler squealing of my two nephews, followed by the resounding echo of a boisterous laugh… one that I wasn’t related to. I walked into my room, grabbed my beat up Converse, my old skinny jeans, and a black and white baseball tee.

Then I walked back out my room, down the hall, joining my family for breakfast.

“Look, guys, it’s alive!” Connor put his hands up to his face with a face of mock terror.

Katie, the oldest girl out of all of us, came to the rescue, “Con, lay off. You were way worse with how you only wanted to go was cause your then girlfriend was there.”

My oldest sibling took that to offense, “Katie, how could you say that? There are children present.” Connor then covered his ears. I raised an eyebrow and sat between JJ and Gordon.

I then turned around, “Mom? Am I riding the bus?”

“Yes sweetie, why do you ask?” she asked as she flipped the bacon.

“Then why is he still here?” I asked jutting my thumb to Gordon, who had somehow managed to get JJ out of him highchair and onto his lap without moving me.

Dad answered from the head of the table, “He’s your guard, honey.”

I looked at my father, “He’s an Alpha first though. So he doesn’t have to be here.”

“Your right, but he also deserves to eat.” Dad didn’t move his eyes from his paper.

“Thanks, Tony. At least I know one royal Alpha cares about me.” CW kicked the table, clearing his throat. Gordon then said, “Okay, so maybe more than one… But one certainly cannot stand me.”

“Guilty as charged.” I raised my hands up as Mom walked to the table with JJ’s and Art’s breakfast.

“Be nice, Cole.” She smacked me in the back of the head. “Now breakfast is served.”

“It’s hard being nice to him though,” I mumbled.

Gordon flipped around with his plate full, “Heard that, Grayson. I guess you won’t be getting your coffee then.”

I smiled sweetly and took his plate out of his hands. “Guess again, Gordon.” I grabbed my coffee and walked back to my seat at the table. I sat down, smirking as I heard his frustrated grunt coming from behind me.

                                                                                ***

When I stepped off the bus, I immediately saw the girls and Ollie waiting by the doors of the back entrance. “Why are you guys waiting outside?” I asked, shivering slightly in the shade of the roof. The morning sun was rising above the school casting an ironic holy glow upon it.

“The hall is crowded AF this morning. Everyone is buzzing about the fact that Zac is back.” Ollie answered me.

I sneered, “That asshole saw me in my PJ’s this morning and ate my food.” I walked to the doors, “At least I can lose him here in the halls.” The girls started laughing as Ollie shook his head. I gripped the handle, opening the door with a flourish. The hall was filled with the sound of children being excited after not seeing one another since June.

Lyssa came up to walk on my right, “You’d think that they would at least see each other at the pack house over the summer.” I looked to my longest friend laughing at her. She smiled right back at me. If anything happened to me, I pray that Dad chooses Lyssa as my successor. She’d make a damn good Alpha Queen, despite being a Beta. I don’t want to think of that though, because I’d be leaving everything and everyone I love behind. Although, I wouldn’t mind if I left Gordon behind. That ass.

We walked to the hall that held all of our homerooms and glanced back at each other. Aurora and Lyssa went into one, Lynn another, and Ollie continued down the hall with me. His homeroom was on a different hall cause he wasn’t graduating with us. He walked with me to my homeroom, “Ready, Cole?”

“As I’ll ever be, Olive.” I sadly smiled at my best friend.

He wrapped his arms around me, “You’re gonna do great this year.”

“It’s my last year, Olive, I’ve gotta do great.” I sassed him as I wrapped his waist giving him a big squeeze before I let go of him. “You need to go to homeroom. I’ll see you at the pack house this week end.” He smiled and walked to the end of the hall, turning around to give me a thumbs up. I laughed, shaking my head, “That boy is strange.” I looked at the open door before me, took a deep breath and walked through it just as the tardy bell rang, signaling the start of the new school year.

                                                                                ***

“God, I forgot how much I hate this place.” I complained, head hitting the metal picnic table Lyssa choose to sit at.

“Cole, we only have 2 more hours then you go home.” Lyssa stated from her seat in front of me.

I lifted my head, “Child, I still have Alpha Training after this. I leave school, go home, change, and then go to the training grounds in Salem.” I said as Ember, Nia, Casey, and Kay joined us.

Nia glanced at me, “Cole, you’ve gotta red mark on your forehead now.”

“She really doesn’t care about that, Nia.” Ember said from her seat on the bench next to Lyssa. She turned her gaze to me, “Cole, how’s your school day going?”

A voice beside me answered, “If she hit her head, I don’t think it’s going to well.” I smiled at my friend Axander. He looked at me, his eyes widened “Jesus, girl! Look at you. God any many that ends up with you will have a run for their money.”

“I don’t know whether to be offended or take that as a compliment.” I said eyes zoning out. When I finally focused again, I tilted my head to look around Axander watching as Jackle and Gordon walked out of the cafeteria together to sit in the Senior Court yard. “Just what I need.” I turned back to my friends. Axander walked around the table sitting next to Casey, launching into a tale about something that the marching band did.

I groaned and rubbed my hand on my face. Lyssa smiled at me, “Look at this cute guy I met in Washington over the summer.” She turned her phone to me showing the boy acting goofy.

“Huh. He’s actually kind of cute… Does Kye know about him, though?” I asked her. Knowing Lyssa for years, there a few things that I know that she will most likely do. Not telling her mate about some boy she’s friends with is one of them.

Lyssa laughed, “He actually does. Remember, Kye went with me on the trip.” I made a noise of remembrance. “Exactly. Why do you underestimate the power of my boyfriend?”

I raised an eyebrow still looking at the picture, “No. I just know how Kye is with you. You can be a tad bit naïve, Lyssa.”

“So you think he’s cute?”

“I literally just said that.”

“Well he is currently single.”

My eyes snapped from her phone to her, “Lyssa!” I screeched. “I don’t have time for a boyfriend! I barely have time for myself!”

“He might be your mate though…” She said quietly. She wasn’t expecting me to have an outburst.

I put my head in my hands, “I know you’re trying to help, but there are just somethings that have to happen on their own.” I heard a laugh that made my gut twist in a weird way. I lifted my head from my hands and looked around trying to locate the laugh before looking back at Lyssa, “That was weird.”

“What was?” She looked at me confused.

“Did you not hear that?”

She looked even more confused, “Cole, what are you going on about?”

“The laugh! Did you not hear the laugh?” I asked getting exasperated with her.

Lyssa leaned back, “Cole, I hear a lot of laughing. We’re in a court yard filled with seniors eating lunch. What was so special about this laugh?”

I looked at her as I heard the laughing again, “It messes with my stomach. Makes it twist. It’s really weird...” She laughed at me.

She then leaned back to me. “Cole, that’s what happens when your mates around you. So someone around us is your mate!” My eyes widened. _No. This can’t be happening. I am not prepared for this._ “He has to be getting close to his birthday for you to start feeling the effects!”

“I highly doubt that, Lyssa. We’re in late August, all the guys we know were born _after August_ … NOPE! NOT HAPPENING! I’M PERFECTLY FINE WITH BEING ME! NOT READY FOR THIS!” I yelled. The court yard stopped talking and looked at me. I blushed and shrunk down in my seat. “Ignore me, guys.”

I’m their next queen and I can’t take them looking at me. I guess I am a coward…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A weight landed me, “Cole!” The voice squeaked. “Get up! It’s time to play!” A burst of laughter came from someone else in my room. I groaned, rolling onto my side, pulling the kid to my chest. “Cole…”

“JJ, go to sleep. I’ve had a long week of school work and its Saturday, so go back to sleep.” I murmured to the squirming child. I cracked an eye open to see his blonde hair in my face. “Go to sleep.” I moved to eye the other person in my room, “What are you doing here?”

“He wanted to see you.” I felt the bed dip as Gordon sat down. “Well?”

“What Gordon?” I asked.

He kicked off his shoes and climbed over me, “I’m joining you two and was wondering if you were okay with that…”

“I have siblings and friends, so I’m used to sharing a bed.” I stated, puling the half-sleep JJ closer to me. “What time is it anyway?”

I felt his breath his the back of my neck, “Almost 5 in the morning…”

“Why are you two up so early?” I asked closing my eyes sleepily.

Gordon curled his arm over me and JJ, “I’ll tell you when we wake up later…”

“Fine by me…” I mumbled. It went unheard as I heard him start to snore softly like the toddler in front of me. My world started getting darker as the rhythm of breaths I took slowed down.

                                                                                ***

“Hmmm…” I pushed myself into the warmth that surrounded me. It got tighter around my back causing my arms to be pressed against something. I then felt the rhythmic breathing, making me slowly open my eyes. I came face to shirt. _Oh, Ollie or CW came in here this morning…_ My eyes followed the shirt up to the neck line leading to the face. _NOPE! WHEN DID HE GET HERE!?!_

I squirmed a little, trying to not wake the sleeping Gordon. “Hm? Wha’s gonna on?” he sleepily asked. _Crap… that didn’t work…_ “Cole, what are you doing in my room?”

“Technically, you’re in my room…” Then it hit me, “You had JJ with you! Where is he?” I sat up in a panic…well, I couldn’t exactly sit up when an arm is wrapped around me…

Gordon shot up, pulling me with him. He looked around the room, “Where did that little kid g-” he froze when his gaze shot to me.

“What? Is he behind me?”

“No… What are you wearing?” I followed his gaze to my pants… well lack of pants.

I pulled his old jersey slightly lower, “I sleep in a shirt and sometimes shorts or leggings, otherwise I kick off my pants in my sleep. Now we really need to find my nephew.” He took off to the door, me following right behind him.

Opening said door resulted in us seeing Connor walking by on his way to his room. He walked passed us, then came to a screeching halt. He backtracked to stop by my door, “Zac? What are you doing in Cole’s room?” I had hid myself behind the boy in question.

“I was looking for her… because I need help on my fighting stance?” He put a hand awkwardly on his head. I mentally face palmed. _How is this guy going to be an Alpha?_

_I don’t know either, Cole. Orion is as confused as you._

_Thanks for that, Artemis. I totally need help with that…_ She then left again.

“Okay, so will tell me when you see her around?”

“I can do that. See you around, Baby Alpha!” Connor waved to Gordon and carried on down the hall.

I peeked my head out of my room, “See anyone else?”

“Nope, let’s go.” He grabbed my forearm and started down the hall.

                                                                                ***

“Where could he be? We’ve been looking for an hour! We’ve looked everywhere, Grayson!” Gordon flopped down on the chair by the table in the kitchen. I followed the distressed Alpha and stopped next to him. “Do you know where he went?”

I gripped my hair in frustration, shirt ridding up in the process. “He’s two and I was asleep, how would I know where he went to? And why would I be looking for him if I already knew where he was?!” I crossed my arms over my chest in anger. That’s when I realized that I’ve been walking around the pack house with Gordon all morning in his old shirt that is now part of my pajama collection. That being said… I was bra-less… We never took the stairs running, so I never noticed.

“C’mon buddy. It’s not that bad. She’s still sleeping. You know that Cole has trouble sleeping at night.” CW… I looked at Gordon who had sat up in the process. My twin brother walked in, with his finger being held tightly by the missing toddler.

Gordon shot out of his chair as I took off running to the baby. I picked him up and held him close, “JJ! Where did you go? You scared me to death!”

CW looked down, “I took him with me after I came to check on you. You are usually up by eight, but it was nine and I was worried about you. That’s when I saw you curled around JJ with Zac curled around you…” He looked behind me to Gordon, “The way you held them was like you were trying to protect them.”

“They’re royals, what did you expect me to do?” Gordon stopped rubbing JJ’s head to answer my brother.

I kissed JJ’s head, swaying slightly, “Thanks, CW. I actually didn’t know what time is was.”

“You hardly sleep at night, Cole. You needed that.” CW told me.

Gordon spoke up, “You don’t sleep at night?”

“That’s none of your business. Now take JJ because I have to go and get changed for the day.” I gave JJ to Gordon and walked out of the kitchen heading to my room.

                                                                                ***

Two hours later, I flopped face first onto Lyssa’s bed. “So what you’re telling me is that you woke up in Zac’s arms? Did you guys do it or something?” She asked changing her playlist with music from the 80s to one made up of entirely of early 2000s music.

I flipped around pushing up on my elbows to glare at my best friend, “Hell no. Apparently he had come into my room with JJ and passed out with me and the kid.”

“So you did do it.”

I closed my eyes. “No. Lyssa. You need to stop. We didn’t do anything.”

She studied me for a minute, “If you say so…”

I sat up, bringing my right leg onto the bed, “How’d your date go last night?”

“Change the subject, why don’t you?” She laughed. I smiled at her. “Anyway, Kye took me to see a movie, then we went to look at the city from the Star… He was really sweet the entire time…”

“You’ve got him hooked, Lyssa.” I raised my eyebrows, smiling widely at her.

She flicked her short hair back, “Psh. Of course I do. He’s mine after all.”

“Possessive much?” I joked.

She laughed at me, “You, my friend, are weird.”

I snickered, “Would you rather me be kinky or weird?” She laughed even harder. “I’m taking that as ‘no’.” I checked my phone, laughter tears prickling the corners of my eyes. Mom had texted me saying that Dad couldn’t find me and needed me in his office immediately. I looked at the snickering girl seated on her bedroom floor, “Dad needs me. It looks like it’s important because Mom texted, so I gotta go.”

“You know where to find me,” she got out through her fading laughter.

“If not, I’ll text you,” I replied smiling at her. I opened her door and stepped right into Kye. “Oh hey, Kye. She’s a little mad right now. So be wary.”

“Mad? What do you mean _mad_? Like angry?” He seemed worried.

I shook my head, “Nope, she’s just in a laughing fit.” He breathed a sigh of relief. I waved to him and walked down the hall heading to my father’s office.

***

                I knocked on the door before me, “Dad? You in here?”

                “Of course I am, come on in, Cole.” I pushed open my door and saw Dad behind his desk with CW and Jackle seated before him. I walked to them and took a seat between my twin and friend.

                “What’s going on, King Tony?” Jackle asked looking at my father. “You usually don’t have all three of us in here together… Not since-”

                Dad interrupted him, “We have reason to believe that Jason may have survived.”

                “WHAT?!” the three of us yelled. I thought we killed him three years ago!

                He continued, “I’m not too sure about how we learned, but it could be true as it could also be false.”

                CW spoke up, “Dad, how did we learn of this?”

                “Dave found a rouge on his pack lands and took him in for questioning.”

                Jackle leaned back in his seat, “If Jason is back, how will we keep Cole safe? I’m not too worried about my safety considering I’m his ‘son’, he probably won’t touch me. Especially since Cole nearly killed him for kidnapping me, Max, and Zac.”

                “Zac has got to be in here to hear this, Dad. He needs to know to keep an eye out.” CW said just as I responded with, “I should have left Gordon in the dungeons of Jackle’s castle…”

                “I agree with Cody…” Dad said. “We will hold a meeting involving all who will be taking over soon.”

                “Can we do it after dinner? Cause I’m like really hungry, and I don’t want Marcus cleaning up burnt Gordon off the floor because my hunger and him combined ticked me off enough.”

                “Yeah, I’ll call in Dave, Carson, Glen, Dale, and Nicholous.” He looked at me, “Are you-”

                “Already done, Dad.” I smiled. “They said sure. Ollie said he’s very sore though. Had a rough football game last night.”

                “Okay, then it’s settled. We will discuss this further after dinner. You can go now.”

                                                                                                ***

                I watched as Jackle and Gordon argued. _So much for best friends_. I thought while rolling my eyes. I stood up, “BOYS! Shut up! I am perfectly capable of defending myself!” I put my hands on my hips, trying to convey that I was strong.

                “We just don’t want you to get hurt, Cole!” Jackle spun on me.

                I narrowed my eyes, “I wasn’t one of the people kidnapped last time, now was I?” I turned to my amused father, “I think we should have someone keep an eye on these two and Max as well as the rest of the important people around me. If he is alive or if someone just wants to take me out to get the crown, they have a lot of people to get through. They might take someone close to me to get to me like last time.” I crossed my arms over my chest to end my argument. I can wield a sword, punch someone’s lights out, and I am constantly surround by the strongest people in the world.

                Gordon spoke up, “I for one actually agree with Cole. She beat the shit out of all the Alphas but me. Plus Cody told me she ‘killed’ Jason.” He walked over to stand next to me, “But you may see me as bias considering that I trained with her for years.”

Dad’s men shared a look with Dad and Dave. Carson spoke, “Dave, he has matured so much in the last few years. The last time we had a meeting of this severity he was trying his hardest to fight with her. What happened?” Dave shrugged as a response. 

“Zac, you will have to stay by her side at all times.” Glen said to him.

He nodded, “Already on it. I can’t be with her in classes though at school considering she is actually smart, but some of my friends as well as her friends are in the classes with her.”

“I also have two classes with her,” Jackle spoke up. “Girls? What about you?”

Lyssa and Lynn shared a look before I spoke, “Day 1. Lyssa and Aurora have Art with me, Lyssa has English with me, then it’s Jackle for the rest of the day. Lyssa and Jackle are also with me for both lunches. Lynn is with me all day on Day 2. She has lunch with me on Day 2. So, I think that I’m safe.”

“Good. What about after school? How will she get home safely?” Nicholous brought up a good point. How do we know that something won’t happen to me on the way to and from school?

“I’ll drive her, simple as that.” Gordon stated.

Ollie looked at him with narrowed eyes, “You get her after school, I get her before.” Eesh, what is up with them arguing over me? I’d rather chill with CW on the bus. Mom said that we had no use for a car just yet.

“What about the spring?”

I pointed to my chest, knowing that everyone, but Aurora would be busy, “I have clubs and rehearsals to attend to, so I should be fine. I’ll ride with one of them.” The men nodded.

“It’s decided, Cole will respectively look out for everyone as they look out for her. Now leave. I must discuss other things with my court.” Dad dismissed us.

Outside the room we all shared a look, “Now what do we do?” CW asked.

I shrugged, “Sleep, I guess…”

“It’s 7 pm on a Saturday. I’m not going to bed just yet.” Jackle said as he crossed his arms. “Let’s go check out the ballroom to see if anyone is there…” He started down the hall with everyone but me and Gordon following him. I smiled knowingly.

“Is there a short cut or something?” Gordon asked me.

“What do you think?” I smirked at him and turned in the opposite direction that our friends went, heading to the library at the end of the hall, “C’mon, I’m gonna teach you all the tricks to the pack house.”

                                                                                ***

Typically when the school year starts, someone organizing a back-to-school party that was held in the ballroom of the pack house. I slowly pushed the hidden door open, peaking into the room to make sure that no one was looking this way. I slid out of the door, Gordon following me. The strobe lights flowed through the air, the bass from Fall Out Boy vibrated the floor, people were dancing in ways that their parents would not be proud of at all. “See, they’re still not here,” I gestured to the pulsing crowd before us.

His eyes widened, “Was it always like this?” he leaned into my space so I could hear him.

“Yea,” I started weaving through the crowd to get to the DJ stand. Some people screamed in excitement when the song changed from Centuries to the Wobble. I blindly grabbed Gordon’s forearm so he wouldn’t get swept away with the flow of teenagers. I felt his eyes on me, “I don’t think that you want to get in the middle of that.” He laughed as we neared the stand. I saw my buddy, Bryson, struggling to keep up with the request coming in. He was muttering about how he wished Jackle was here instead of that important meeting. “Hey, Bryson!”

Bryson let out a frustrated yelp before he turned to look at us, “No more request right- COLE! Thank God! Is Jackle coming?”

Gordon spoke up, “He’s on his way now. What’s going on? I thought you like this stuff.”

“I prefer editing videos than being a DJ.” His gray eyes shifted between me and Gordon, “Since when do you two get along?”

“Since we have too.” I said just as I heard my name being called. I looked out to the audience trying to locate who was calling me. That’s when I saw the girls at the doors. I smiled and waved them over. Jackle and Ollie followed them over, CW had run off when he realized that Ellie was there. “You guys are late,” I joked.

“Still don’t know how you do it, Coleslaw.” Lynn said. I must have looked confused because she continued. “How you move around the mansion so quickly. It’s like you’re a ninja or something...” Her eyes showed how that really alluded to her.

“That’s because I am a ninja, Lynn. I have a sword, don’t I?” I joked. They all laughed. Aurora grabbed my arm and drug me out to the floor, “Rora! What are we doing?”

“DANCING!” She yelled at me. The rest of the girls joined us as Jackle took the stand. We started swaying to the beat, relaxing slightly. Well, they relaxed fully, I was still wary of my surroundings.

                                                                                ***

An hour later, I heard the laugh again. I stopped swaying and stood up onto my tip toes in an attempt to find where the hypnotic laughter was coming from. But it was all in vain considering I’m really short. I felt hands land on my hips, causing Artemis to come forward filled with disgust.

“Who ya looking for there, hot stuff?” a disgusting voice sounded in my ear. I spun around to look at the creep. Everything about him screamed asshole. “Ooh, I landed the pretty princess. Lucky me.”

I pushed his hands off me, “Don’t touch me.”

“Now, now. That’s not the way you treat one of your people.” He tsk me as he pulled me back to him. I started fighting to get away, causing my friends to take notice. They each took a look at one another, getting ready to get the guy off of me. Before they could move or I could make my fire light up, he was ripped off of me.

“The Princess said _to not touch her_!” Gordon growled. My eyes widened at him, not expecting him to do that. I expected my brother or Ollie, not him. That’s when I realized Jackle paused the music, Ollie and CW were flanking Gordon who held the guy up by his collar. I felt people walk up behind me, the girls coming up to my sides, meaning Link and Parker were guarding my back. I looked back to the fuming boy in front of me. He was defending me. _Since when does he care about my honor?_ “I might as well kill you, but I think that she can do much worse.” He then turned to me, brown eyes shining with mischief, “Well?”

Everyone’s eyes were on me immediately, “Um... What?” I asked in a small voice.

His eyes softened, “Where’s the princess that I know? The one who will punch a man?”

“She’s still here. She just doesn’t like a lot of people staring at her, expecting her to do something,” I whispered, feeling my chest restrict, anxiety creeping up on me. I heard the whispers, _Is she a coward? Our princess?_

_He stood over me smirking at my small form, “Coward Alpha. That’s what you are. Nothing you can do will_ EVER _make you a quarter of the Alpha your father is, girlie.”_  

I felt a hand land on my shoulder, “Cole? You okay there?” I looked up into the eyes of Gordon. A sense of calmness washed over me.

The corner of my lips lifter, “I’m fine. Now if you’ll just-Thank you.” He moved out the way when he realized my right hand was on fire. I stood in front of the pervert, “You are a disgrace to our kind. I hope you rot.” I then curled my fist and threw it into the pervert jaw. I turned to address everyone, “Let that serve as a reminder to anyone who touches someone without the other persons consent.”

“GIVE IT UP FOR COLE! THE NEXT ALPHA QUEEN!” Jackle yelled into the mic. He hyped everybody up easily getting them into a flow of dancing to the beat of DNCE.

I looked around and decided to leave. My friends had run off to find their mates, Ollie to seduce some random girl, Jackle was busy working the DJ Stand to notice. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to CW and Lyssa letting them know that I was going to my room and to not bother me.

                                                                                ***

I heard footsteps running to catch up with me, “What happened back there?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Gordon ran in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders stopping my motion, “Cole, you froze up! I’ve never seen the confident, punch-your-lights-out Cole Grayson freeze up!”

I smiled sadly, “Zac, I’ve never been confident. I’ve been taught to give off that vibe, but I’m just a messed up girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders.”

“I’m not talking about not punching that creep first. I’m talking about when you completely froze. I’ve never seen your eyes show so much fear.” I looked down feeling the tears creep up. “Cole, I was worried. Cody told me that you have problems. I have them, too. If you ever wanna talk, I’m here for you.”

I got angry, “That’s all anyone tells me anymore. _If you ever wanna talk, I’m here for you_! Maybe I don’t want to talk. Maybe I just want someone to just sit next to me, hold me, tell me everything is okay.” I felt the white hot tears flow out of my eyes, “ _Tell me I’m not a coward. Tell me I’m still here for a reason.”_

I felt arms in circle me, “You’re not alone, Cole. I’m gonna make sure that your mate knows that. That you’re safe, loved, and most importantly here for a reason.” He let go of me to put me at an arm’s distance away, “Everyone loves you. And you’re not a coward. If anything, you’re the perfect Alpha. Much better than me at least.” Zac laughed, “No need to cry. If anything, you need to laugh more. And possibly sleep more, too. Now c’mon. Let’s get you to bed.” He swung his arm over my shoulders, dragging my body to his.

I walked down the hall, side-by-side with the guy I despised, feeling a lot safer than I have in a long while.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Cole. _Cole._ C’mon. You gotta get off my arm. It’s numb.” I felt the rumbling of a voice trying to wake me. “Cole, you fell asleep on me. I wanna go to my bed too, y’know.”

I lifted my head off the rumbling pillow, to glare at Zac, “Let me sleep. You never let me sleep.”

He laughed, “How about you let me up so I can go and get my pajamas on? I don’t know about you, but I hate sleeping in _my_ clothes.” He stressed ‘my’ as if to make a point. I grumbled an agreement and shakily stood up, letting the boy climb off my bed. As soon as I heard the door click, signaling that it was shut completely, I pulled off my clothes and slid on my current sleep shirt. Technically it was a beat up sweatshirt, but who’s asking?

I heard the polite knock hit my door. My friends and family just barge in, “It’s open.” Zac walked back in wearing a t-shirt and sweats. “Isn’t that the shirt you wore to training two days ago?”

“I-uh- I haven’t done laundry in a week. Plus it would look weird if I was seen walking to your room shirtless. I’m really scared of your brothers, father, and grandfather. They would kill me if they found out about that.” He spoke in a shaken tone.

I sleepily rubbed my eye, “You should be more terrified of my mother and sisters. It’s nearing midnight, we need to go to sleep.”  I yawned, stretching slightly. I walked back over to my bed, and laid down. “Kill the lights, would ya?” I asked, sleep cutting through my voice. The lights shut off, footsteps got closer to my bed, and I felt the heavy weight of Zac Gordon fall onto me. “Really?”

“You can’t say anything.”

“Yes I can. You’re really heavy.” I started trying to push him off of me. “Zac! Move!” I huffed. He laughed and rolled over. “Thanks,” I said, finally taking in a deep breath. I rolled over onto my stomach, stretching into my relaxed position. My back and hips popped, “God, I’m getting old.”

“I’m older than you. How could you be getting old?” Zac had stretched out onto his back.

I looked at him, eyes have closed with sleep, “You don’t have children around you 24/7, let alone the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

He rolled over, “I guess you’re right. Now go to sleep, old woman.”

“I find offense in that statement.”

“Cole.”

“Zac.” I answered with my eyes shut.

“Sleep.”

“Sure thing, old man. Sure thing.” I let the sleep enter my voice. My breathing eventually evened out and I was out like a light.

                                                                                ***

Warmth. That’s the first thing I felt. _Of course I’m warm. I’m still in my bed with a thousand sheets on top of me._ _But it’s summer… I have like three sheets on my bed._ I started to stretch my arms above my head, but didn’t get very far. _Huh? Why can’t move my arms?_ Instead, I arched my back causing my shoulders to hit the wall. That’s when I cracked my eyes open. My eyes fluttered to get the sleep out of them.

“Cole, you in there? I called Mom last night to check to see if you ever got home, then I checked my text. Are you okay?” I heard my twin’s worried voice through the door. Even if I answered back, he wouldn’t hear me. Sound proof room, remember.

“Tell him to shut up.” I didn’t say that. My eyes widened when I realized that I was nowhere near the wall. My arms were tangled up in my sheets and the arms wrapped around me. “Cole. Answer your brother…”

“He wouldn’t be able to hear me, Zac.” I answered going back into the warmth that Zac provided. The door jingled a little, then opened to reveal my twin brother. I looked at him with sleepy eyes, “Go away, CW. I need my sleep.” A chuckle came from behind me.

“Cole, what’s Zac doing in here?”

“As she said, I need my sleep. Go away, CW.” He pulled me closer to him.

CW walked into my room, “No. I need answers. A few weeks ago, you were about ready to kill each other.”

“He’s warmer than you and Ollie combined.” I stated. I tapped the arms around me telling Zac to let go. I sat up crossing my legs like I was taught as a preschooler. Criss-cross apple sauce. I linked my hands above my head making my back pop. “What do you want, CW?” I felt Zac shift behind me, so I glanced at him. _Lay on your side like your some sorta French girl, why don’t ya?_ I raised my eyebrow. He shrugged before looking back at my brother. I followed suit.

“Better yet, where is his shirt?” CW then looked at me, “And where are her pants?”

Zac answered, “A leprechaun took them... God, I been around Cole too much lately.” I felt the bed jolt as he fell back onto my bed.

“Are you really asking me where my pants are? Last I checked this is my room and you’re not my mom. I’m nearly an adult woman.” I yawned half through my answer.

CW looked between the two of us, “I’m still confused. What happened here? Cause it’s nearly 2 in the afternoon…”

Zac sat up so fast that the bed jumped. I put my hands on the bed in front of me to steady myself, “What the-”

“I had training hours ago!”

“Okay, I missed mine too. You don’t see me having a panic attack.”

“Are one of you going to answer my question?” CW asked.

“Not now, CW!” Zac yelled. “Dammit, I have been around you way too much.” He slid to the side of the bed getting himself off of it. “If you two will excuse me, I have to go speak with Dad. He will help me, unlike you guys.”

“Again, I find offense in that.” I said.

CW crossed his arms over his chest, “You find offense in everything he says.” Zac walked out of the room without his shirt. _Sweet, more clothes for me._

I shrugged and stood up, “Are you gonna leave now?”

“Fine. Fine. I’ll leave.” CW stopped in the door way, “Just wait till our father hears about how I found you two.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Are you doubting me, sister?” He asked feigning innocence.

I stalked up to my brother, putting one hand on his chest the other on my door, “Brother, you need to remember I have years of black mail on you that even Mom doesn’t know about. Mind you, she knows everything.” I smiled innocently at him.

“You wouldn’t.” He repeated my earlier statement.

“Oh, would I? Are you doubting me, brother?” I raised an eyebrow with a smirk present on my face. I then shoved him out of the door way, slamming the door on his face. _And I thought Zac was annoying._

_You’re also immune to CW most of the time._

_You’re right, Artemis. Want to go for a run?_

_I’m up for it. But only if you are._

_Of course I am. Who do you think I am?_ I claimed rhetorically. I heard her laughter as I pulled on my tank top and shorts. _Let’s go._

                                                                            ***

One thing to understand about werewolves is we are really similar to human. Take running for example. I know some werewolves (coughmycoughgirlscough) hate to run when it is not necessary. They prefer to lay back and watch as the others run and laugh at them. I, for one, love to run. It gives me the rush of adrenaline that I need to survive my life. It’s almost a high. That feeling when you get when you don’t have a care in the world and you feel like you’re flying? That’s what I feel when I take off running. The rush of the wind blowing around me, weaving between trees, sailing over fallen logs, only to shift into my wolf form mid-air.

My front paws hit the ground before my back paws did. I stopped and pointed my snout to the sky. I felt the light breeze of the wind flow through my golden red fur. I shook out the kinks in my back and started to the one place that no one can really find me, save for that one office. I took off into a sprint heading to the cliff.

A few minutes later, I stood on the rocky edge overlooking the valley. I shift back into my human form, clothes miraculously staying whole. That was a feat that took years of practice. Something that I learned at age 10, mind you I have been shifting since I was 8 years old.

I looked out over the valley surrounded entirely by mountains. Late August still had the green trees of summer, some late blooming flowers sporadically popping up here and there, the flow of the river through downtown, the traffic flowing easily around the valley, the cars looking like ants, people even smaller. I smiled thinking about how easy that people have it. They don’t really have to worry about how to protect the whole pack. They just have to worry about jobs, family, friends, food, and shelter. I have to worry about that, schooling, protection, ruling, and everything else. Hell, some of the people don’t even know what’s happening around them.

“You come here often?” A voice sounded behind me. I sniffed the air and didn’t recognize the scent. Not human, that’s a good thing.

I stayed facing the valley, “Depends. What’s your definition on ‘often’?” I heard footsteps padding to me.

They sat down next to me, “Well, I really don’t know. I’m Greer.”

I looked to them, “Cole.” Beautiful blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, cute.

“Isn’t that a guy’s name?”

“It’s my nickname.” I said with a smile. They smiled right back. “Isn’t Greer like a really old name?”

They looked out to the valley, “I think so? I’m not so sure… So, Cole, you live around here?”

“I grew up here. Well, not here exactly, but in the valley.” My face was heating up. I’m so not used to doing this alone…

They laughed, “I could tell considering that there are hardly any houses around here. I just moved to town.”

“You in high school?”

“Yeah, I start at Northside on Monday.”

My eyes widened, “That’s where I go. It’s a strange school. What grade?”

“Senior, baby.” They stuck their thumbs at their chest.

I laughed, “Same. You should find me in the halls on Monday. I could help you find your way around. Or you could on your own?”

This time they laughed, “I’ll take you up on that, Cole.”

“Cool.” I said as I stood up. _Who says ‘Cool’ anymore, Cole? Really?_

My stomach growled, “I guess the beast wants to be feed.” Their eyes lit up with laughter.

“You could come back with me, I mean unless you want to go back to your house…”

They smiled, “And pass up a pretty lady? No thanks. Besides, Grandma says that I need to meet my pack mates. You wouldn’t happen to know where Blood Run is, would you?” They questioned.

Dave had told me and Dad that a new family was joining his pack. Apparently, they were rouges, but had proven that they were valuable to the pack. He also said that the boy lived with his frail grandmother. The boy had problems with picking up scents of ranks. “Yeah. In fact, I personally know the Alphas.” I answered them.

“You know Alphas?” Greer asked. _Greer must be the boy Dave was talking about…_

I smiled at him, “Of course. I’m an Alpha myself. Follow me, I’ll take you to my pack house.”

“I’m gonna text Grandma to let her know where I’m going. What’s the name of your pack house?”

“The North American-European Pack House.” I stated as it was common knowledge. I heard the footsteps behind me freeze. Then a crunch.

I turned around and saw Greer kneeling on the forest floor. “I’m in the presence of the princess. I’m so sorry. I was in a car accident as a child and lost my ranking scent ability.”

“Greer?”

“Yes, Alpha Princess?”

I stepped towards him, “All of the kids in our school calls me ‘Cole’. You can just call me ‘Cole’. It makes life easier,” I offered him my hand.

He gripped my out stretched hand, “Yes, Alph-Cole. I mean, _Cole._ ” I pulled him up with a laugh.

“Let’s get back to the big pack house, now. That sound cool?” He nodded and shifted into a beautiful white wolf. _White? Isn’t that-? Nah, he can’t be. Can he?_ My thoughts consumed me as I shifted into my wolf. I yipped and started to run, hearing the footfalls of Greer behind me.

                                                                              ***

 We got to shifting grounds, a little bit later. I shifted and looked around for Greer. “Greer? Where are you?”

“Behind the tree…”

“Need clothes?” I asked with a slight smile.

“Yup.”

I let out a breath, “Push the back on the leaves of branch beside you. There should be clothes on that branch in a bag.” I heard an ‘oh’ before a ‘thanks’ hit my ears. I looked over to the other side of the field. I saw Lynn hanging upside down from a tree. _Is that a joint in her hand?_ I cocked an eyebrow as I looked to the base of the tree. Morty sat there, floppy black sun hat, black dress, and a book in hand, relaxing as her mate made a fool of herself.

Greer walked up behind me, “What are you looking at?”

“My best friend is making a fool of herself… Never mind. C’mon. I’ll show you around.” I grabbed his forearm, leading him to the back entrance of the kitchens. “Hey, Mom? You in here?”

“She’s in Dad’s office, runt!” My older brother yelled from the refrigerator.

 I furrowed my eyebrows, “Connor? What are you doing in the fridge?”

“Katie said that Mom had hid cookie dough in here. And I want cookie dough.”

I looked over to the giggling toddler, sitting at the kitchen table in his booster seat. “Artie’s laughing at you!”

“I know.” He said as he walked out of the refrigerator. He then saw Greer standing behind me, “Hey, I’m Connor. Cole’s older brother.”

“I know, your highness.” Greer said from beside me.

“Greer, you literally can address anyone in my family as you address your friends. Even Jackle will allow you to just call him Jackle!” I addressed him.

“Jackle?” Greer asked confused.

Connor answered, “Blood Prince Jackson Wayne.”

“And you guys call him ‘Jackle’?”

“Yep, they sure do.” Jackle’s voice flowed through the kitchen. Multiple sets of footsteps came in. “Cole, who’s your friend?”

“Greer.” Greer stuck his hand out to the boys.

Jackle shook his hand, “I’m Jackle, as you heard.”

Greer turned to my twin next. CW nodded at him, “Cody or CW whichever works for you.”

He then looked to Kye, “I’m Kyle, but they,” he gestured to us around him, “call me ‘Kye’. Those two are Link and Parker.” Kye pointed to Link and Parker in turn. He then jutted his thumb behind him, “And this is-”

“The name’s Zac. Zac Gordon. How do you know the princess?” Zac questioned.

I narrowed my gaze at him, “Greer here is new, Gordon. He’s part of the Blood Run Pack. You know the one that you are Alpha, too?”

Zac turned his gaze to me, “Are you certain?”

“Hey, don’t talk to Cole that way! She’s all of our Alpha!” Greer came to my defense.

“ _’Cole’_ , huh? He can call you ‘Cole’?” Zac looked from Greer to me.

“Yes, he can. Anyone can call me ‘Cole’. You know that!” I stabbed my finger into his chest.

Zac looked down to see me glaring up at him, “You are one hell of a princess. An Alpha, nonetheless.”

“Her mate is in for it.” CW said. “I’ve known her since the womb. That person is so in for it.”

Link snickered, “He already is. OOF! Parker, why did you hit me?”

I turned around to look at him confused. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jackle gesturing wildly at someone. “What do you mean by that, Link?” I slowly walked to him.

He gulped, “Uh… I was agreeing with your brother, Cole. Please don’t hurt me!” He threw his hands over his face for protection. I smirked. _God, I love this kind of power._

“Good answer, Link. That was a good answer.” I said, “But I really want you to answer me. What did you mean by ‘ _He already is’_?”

“Cole, Tony wants to see you in his office.” I heard Mom’s voice come from the door of the kitchen. I grumbled out a fine and walked out the kitchens. I heard Mom say, “Boys get out of the kitchens if you know what’s good for you! Out! Shoo! Go away! Go bother your mates! Zac give Greer a tour of the pack house! And don’t come back!” I giggled as I heard Mom continue to yell at the boys to leave the kitchens.

 _And they think that you’re bad…._ Artemis said as I took to the stairs.

 _I had to learn it from somewhere, Artemis._ I told her. She snickered.

                                                                        ***

I pushed the doors to Dad’s office open, “You wanted to see me?”

“Colette, sweetie,” Dad started, “There’s some people I want you to meet.” I furrowed my eyes. _He called me_ Colette. _These must be some important people._ “Sit down, please.” I sat next to Dad, wondering who it was I was going to meet. The door opened and I felt a surge of Alpha. _Alpha King and Alpha Prince?_ A man walked in followed by his son. Both dressed in suits and ties. Now that I think about it, Dad’s in his “business” attire. I felt really undressed, considering I was in my tank top, shorts, and Converse, all covered in paint splatters. My hair was up in a rough looking ponytail. I did not look the part of a princess.

I leaned over to Dad, “Can I go and change? Father have you noticed what I’m wearing?”

He then looked me over, “You’re right, but be quick.”

I stood up and looked at the pair that had seated themselves across from Dad, “If you will excuse me, I have to freshen up.”

“King Antonio, is this the princess?” the older of the pair asked. Dad nodded. I took that as my que to make a quick exit. Lincoln closed the door behind me and I took off into a sprint. I hooked the corner that I knew would lead me to a hidden hallway. My momentum should have kept me running, but apparently it was to let me crash into a shockingly hard chest. We both fell to the ground, my head causing the person to lose their breath. I heard a groan and felt hands land on my hips, it felt like I was shocked. _What the hell?_ I lifted my head up, _Zac?_ “What are you doing out here, Zac? Shouldn’t you be with Greer?” I asked as I pushed myself off of him.

He leaned up on his elbows, “He bailed on me. I lost him around the library. Said something about self-exploration… Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

I looked up, “Shit! I gotta get dressed! A prince is waiting for me!” I jumped over Zac as he sat up.

“Princess? What prince? Grayson? COLE!?” Zac yelled after me as I ran to the wall. I hit the button and slipped thru the secret door, taking the stairs two at a time.

                                                            ***

I knocked on the door knowing it was polite. “Enter,” Dad’s voice rang out. I adjusted my white button up and skinny jeans and checked my shoes for scuffs as well as my impromptu make-up and hair tame before opening the door, “Sorry, your majesty. I was not informed of your arrival. I was busy all morning with one of the future Alphas of my pack and his new pack mate.” I walked over to the seat next to my father and sat elegantly like a princess should.

“I hope you don’t have a relationship with either of them,” the king joked.

Dad forced a laugh, “Was is Alpha Gordon’s son, Colette?” I nodded. “Ah, yes. Zachary is a good young man. He’s her guard, Magnar.” Thank God that Dad did that or else I wouldn’t know who I was talking to. King Magnar is over the Asian packs. His son, Kalmin, was his only heir. He was an Omega who ended up with the Alpha gene. If he wasn’t a prince, he’d be a rarity amongst the swells. 

“And what of the others in her life?” Kalmin asked. His voice echoed throughout the room. It did nothing for me.

I looked at him, “There is no need to worry about the men in my life as of now. Most are mated or related to me.” Kalmin ogled me. I looked away to the books lining the walls.

A knock sounded on the door, “Father, you called us?”

“Enter,” Dad breathed once again. He seemed stressed. I looked at my twin as he entered conveying what Dad felt. Jackle stood beside him, Zac on the other side. When Zac saw me seated next to Dad, he automatically walked to stand behind me.

Kalmin went from ogling me to glaring at Zac. “Your highness, do I have something on my face?” He asked. I knew what he was doing. I fought off a smile. Dad, Jackle, CW, and King Magnar started talking.  I then felt Zac’s hand on the back of my neck and something slip down the back of my shirt. I leaned forward, reaching behind my behind me feeling for the paper. I managed to slide it to the front of my shirt and pull it out without them noticing. I knocked the pen on the edge of the desk off. “Princess, you dropped your pen.”

“I got it, Alpha, I got it. I am not some damsel you need to cater to her every pleasure.” I said as I dropped to the floor, delicately. Dad looked at me, then saw the paper. He then turned back to the conversation that had stopped when I spoke.

 _“Cole, what’s with the paper?”_ Dad’s voice rang out in my head.

 _“I’m getting ready to find out.”_ I opened the paper and saw it was a letter.

It read:

_Tony,_

_I believe you have something that’s rightfully mine. If you do not hand over your kingdom, then I saw take drastic measures. You could very easily give your daughter’s hand in marriage to my son or to me. Just so you know, I always get what I want in the end._

_Sincerely your old friend,_

_Jason_

Well shit. There went my year.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I managed to get Dad to wrap up the meeting earlier than expected. The courts surrounded us. “Where did you find the letter?” I asked Zac.

“I found it, Cole. It was left in the library. I found it before I came here. Since I knew that Zac is your guard, I gave it to him to get it to you. It’d look suspicious if I gave it to you in the presence of someone other than your father and brother.” Jackle answered. Zac moved to lean against my father’s desk beside me making his theory about the note known. Lyssa then gave hers, followed by Lynn, Rora, and Ollie. CW gave some pointers on how to increase security measures around the pack house and school. I was still sitting at the desk and looked to my father asking what he thought what we should do.

Dad looked around at all of us. He realized the severity of the situation that we were in. Not even adults and already doing things that he hadn’t even done once when he was our age. “All of you are my heroes. At 17, I was only concerned about finding Lily.” He looked at CW, “You, my boy, are a man now, with a beautiful mate to go with you.” He then turned to me, “And Cole, you have grown so much. My little girl isn’t so little anymore. It’s your time to decide what to do.” Dad laid his hand on my shoulder, “Cole, you can do this.”

“Tony, you know you just removed your right to power by doing that, right?” I heard my Papa’s voice come from the doors. He made his way across the office, “Son, do you realize what you just did?”

He looked his father in the eye, “Both of them are ready to start receive their Alpha powers. I shifted their training without them realizing it. Though Cody’s realization about it is completely different from Cole’s.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” CW and I voiced our question in unison. I cocked my eyebrow as CW shifted his gaze from Dad to Papa.

Papa answered, “Cody, Ellie distracts you. I’ve seen it when I visit your training.” Papa then moved his gaze away from my brother to my father, “Do you know what Cole’s distraction is?” Dad shook his head. “Huh, we’ll test her at the next training session. But I do believe that they can do this.” I looked around. I guess we could. I mean, we’ve done it before. But there’s always that fear that I will lose one of these guys. Only a few of us were part of the first war because of the rank we hold. I don’t want to go to another funeral where one of my classmates lays in the casket. We’re too young for this.

I let out a breath, “Can you give me some time to think about this, Dad?”

“Yes, sweetie. I just need an answer on what to do before January. You have four months to figure this out.” Dad told me.

“Thank you.” I looked to my court and my friends, “If you need me, text me. I’m going to be busy the rest of the night.” I started to the door.

I felt a hand clasp my bicep, halting my steps in the hallway, “Princess, do you want me to go with you?” I turned around and looked at Zac.

“No, I should be fine. I’m just going to be in my office. Don’t bother following me.” I removed his hand and continued down the hall to my office.

                                                                                        ***

I pushed open the door leading to the room that I love to go to. Instantly I was surrounded by books, toys, pictures, and papers from all points of time. Most of them date from the late 1940’s to the mid 1960’s and the early 2000’s to the present. Dad never found this room as a child, but he had heard of it. He still doesn’t know where it is. Besides me, the only other person that knows of this place is Papa.

I grabbed the one book that I had read countless times since I got it in my early teens. I wrapped up in a blanket and curled up on the pillowed window seat. I opened to the last page that I had stopped at, moving the old picture copy that Papa had laminated for me to keep.

It was of a little girl holding a teddy bear and two little boys standing on either side of her. The girl had on a small red dress with a rose on the front of the belt. Her red hair had been pulled back with a red ribbon bow. The boy on her left had slicked back red hair and a little black suit. The boy on her right had fluffy brown hair and a vivid blue dress shirt. Papa had told me it’s a picture from mine and CW’s childhood.  One of the first galas that we had ever went to. He’s the only one that ever told me about that gala, but he lost the name of the other little boy in the photograph.

I laid the picture beside me and snuggled up into the blanket, reading the book as I went.

                                                                                   ***

“Cole, you in here?” I heard Papa ask me.

I answered, yawning slightly, “Yes, Papa.” I heard the door open and there stood my grandfather.

He smiled at me, “What are you doing up here? I would have guessed that you would have disappeared to your room or private office, not here.”

“They smell like Gordon. His scent gives me a headache.” I said as he crossed the floor. I turned and sat up, allowing Papa to sit next to me.

He slowly sat down, “I thought his scent comforted you?”

I laughed, “It does, but I can only take so much at this point. I swear it’s like everywhere I go.” I let out a shiver.

Papa leaned back looking at me with amusement, “Considering, you wear his clothes from time to time, I’d say you’re not that far off.”

I glanced at him, “I suppose you’re right, Papa… Now, why did you come to find me?”

“Your father is worried about you, Cole.”

“I know this.”

“No, Cole, you don’t. He, Lilly, and I have all sat down to discuss you.” I furrowed my brow in confusion, so he continued, “Connor told Tony what you said. And it dawned on him after everything that has happened today, that he may have made a mistake. I told him that I would talk to you about it.”

I shifted my gaze to the floor, “Well? What do you want to talk about?”

He looked at me, “What exactly is worrying you about your position?”

“Everything… I don’t feel as though I am ready enough to receive the crown.” I closed the book, laying it beside me.

He eyed me, “Huh… I’ve heard this somewhere before…”

I glanced at Papa, “Dad?” He shook his head, then I asked, “You?”

“Nope,” Papa stood and walked across the room to one of the bookshelves that lined the room. He pulled one of the oldest books in the room off of the shelf. “Ah ha!” he said as he walked back to me, “This is the story about one of the first Alpha queen. She was much like you, or so they say. In fact, Crystina had a twin brother, Charles. Crystina and Galeren are our ancestors. Grandmamma would tell you to read it, I think you should read this, it’s her story.” He laid the book next to me, kissed my forehead, and walked out of the room.

I eyed the book. The title of it was _The Alpha Queen’s Descent to the Throne._ _Hmmm…_

 _Cole, do what your grandfather said to do_. Artemis told me.

_I will… It’s just, what if I’m nothing like her?_

Artemis tried reasoning with me, _Cole. Crystina was alive hundreds of years ago. I highly doubt that you are anything like her. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something from her._

_You’re right, Artemis._

My phone dinged. CW texted saying that dinner was ready. I threw off the blankets, grabbed the picture, sliding it into the folds of the book. I ran down the stairs, going to the hidden passages outside my office. I sprinted though them, still clutching the book. I opened the door closest, but a decent amount away from the dining hall.

I pushed open the door to the hall, facing my family and friends (as well as their families, but they are basically all family to me). “Sorry, I’m late. I got caught up reading a book.” I slid into the seat between CW and Zac. I laid the book on the table face down as I scooted my chair closer to the table. Don’t judge me, me and the girls are the tiny Alpha leaders of this world. My human little sister is taller than us (save for Lynn, she could pass as one of my siblings better than I can).

Mom looked at Dad seated at the head of the table, “Ready, Tony?”

“Of course, Lily.” He leaned over for a chaste kiss. Literally all of my siblings, myself included, groaned at the sight.

I leaned down in my chair and mumbled “Affection disgusts me.” Zac started laughing next to me. I raised my eyebrows, not really expecting him to do that. “What’s so funny, Gordon?”

“Nothing, Grayson. Nothing at all.” I just looked at him with mild confusion. Still not used to this form of Zac. Not used to him at all. Mom told us to dig in, and that’s exactly what we did. Chatter filled the room, Connor’s boisterous laugh echoing, Artie and JJ’s argumentative toddler screeching, the clattering of forks, spoons, and knives hitting the plates, everything was going in one ear and out the other.

CW leaned over to me, “You seem out of it, little sister.”

“Yeah, I am. You know how school can be.” I said as I cut me a small piece of grilled chicken. I bit into the chicken, smiling slightly. I heard Max ask Connor if he liked seafood. Knowing where that was headed, I consentrated on cutting up my eggplant parmesan into bite sized pieces.

“That’s not it and you know it. Cole, I’ve only know you since conception.”

“Never say that again, CW.” I said, pausing my fork motions, shivering slightly with disgust. “I never want to hear you say those words to me again.” He started laughing in the midst of sipping his sweet tea, causing him to choke a little. “I hope you choke on your tea for the rest of your life.”

“That is such an insulting thing to say,” Paige said to us from across the table.

I looked at her, “You didn’t hear what he said, though.” I shivered again. Mom looked at me, conveying with that Mom look that I needed to explain. “Mom, I can’t say.”

“Why, Cole?”

“There are children present. That’s why.” I crossed my arms. CW still slightly choking next to me. I smirked at him, “Sucks to suck, doesn’t it, _little_ brother.”

He glared at me. Ellie spoke up from beside him, “He is little by no means.” That’s when Zac started snickering again.

I cringed so badly, “Ellie. I love you and everything. But there are some things that I don’t need to know. I’m his twin sister, remember?” She nodded and started rubbing his back.

Max looked at our parents, “Mommy, Dad? What does Ellie mean by that?” Zac finally lost his composer. Connor spit out his tea. CW started choking again and I started choking. Katie and Maggie both covered JJ and Artie’s ears. Paige fell out of her chair she was laughing so hard. All of our friends were dying with laughter at the other end, while my parents looked mortified.

Dad gulped, “Mean by what, Max?”

“That Cody is ‘little by no means’?” Max asked with an innocent expression.

Vicious parent eyes looked to me, I put my hands up as my coughing slowed down. “I said it sarcastically ‘cause he always calls me ‘little sister’ when we are twins!”

Zac started laughing even harder, “God, I missed this.” He wiped his eyes.

“I’m glad you find my misery funny, Gordon.”

“It’s the best thing in the world!” he said. I started laughing at him. Everyone else got really quite, but they had small smiles on their faces.

Dad smiled, “And I’ve missed that sound right there. Her laughing really hard.” That’s when I ruined the cute family moment as I had snorted. Everyone started laughing again with me. This is what family is, at least to me it is. Blood or not, we are all one massive family.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

By lunch on Wednesday, I wanted to kill myself. The book was with me 24/7, but I still hadn’t even got through the first chapter. I typically can finish a book in a day, unless I’m told to read it of course. All that I’ve learned so far, is that she descended to the throne when she was 22.  Much older than me. She had a guard, Knight Zacharias, too. So I guess we have similar things, but not that much.

Lynn sat down next to me, “Coleslaw? Why do you keep hitting your head on the table? That’s gotta hurt.”

“I hope it kills me.” I stated plainly.

“It’s not dairy, though.” She seemed mildly confused.

Lyssa bit into her sandwich, sitting delicately (not at all delicately) as she does, “She can try.”

“I just love how you two encourage me to do bad things.” I lifted my head up in the process. “Papa gave me a reading assignment.” They both gasp dramatically. “I know! I hate being told what to read!”

“Your Papa gave you a reading assignment!? He hates to read though!?” Lyssa gasped out.

Lynn gripped her chest, “I don’t know what to do with this information… What’s the book about? Morty might want to read it.” I slid the book to her. She flipped it over, then opened the front cover trying to find something, “Where’s the summary?”

“There is none.”

“Why not?”

“Not all books have summaries, Lynn.” Lyssa said while inspecting her bag of air, “Always air, never chips.” She murmured.

I picked up half of my turkey sandwich, “It’s about Alpha Queen Crystina becoming Alpha Queen over four hundred and twenty years ago.”

“Oh.” She flipped to half way through chapter one, where the bookmark rested. “Hey, what’s this?” She looked at the picture. This caught Lyssa’s attention.

She reached across the table, grabbing it from Lynn. “Cole? Is this you?”

“Yeah. I really don’t remember it though. It was taken at one of the first galas me and CW went to.”  

Lynn looked at me, “Who’s the little boy?”

“Can’t remember. Papa doesn’t even remember. But the thing is, I remember what he called me when he gave me the bear and what I called him…”

Lyssa moved her eyes from the picture back to me, “When we were kids, you would talk about ‘Knight’. Knight called her ‘Princess’.”

Lynn’s hazel eyes pierced my green ones, “Kinda like Zac does?”

I laughed, “Yeah. But I don’t think it’s him. The first time he called me ‘Princess’ we were 12.” Lyssa handed me back the picture. “Papa said that I lost the bear the day I received it.”

They nodded. Lynn started telling us a story about a house she recently saw, “You know in those horror movies when two teens get lost in the woods?” Lyssa and I nodded, “Well, me and Morty were wondering through one of the forest on the other side of town. We were wandering along, when we saw some old asphalt.

“You know when it’s really old when cracks of plants are popping up out of it. I’m pretty sure there was even a couple of trees… Anyways, Morty, and her Goth self, decides that we should follow the road to see where it leads. I left something to mark the way that we entered from the woods-”

“A stick?” Lyssa snickered. I giggled with her.

“Guys.”

“Sorry,” we coursed.

“It was a stick and leaf,” Lynn continued, “we followed the road once we decided which way to go. It lead us to a massive manor. Very run down, but only as it seemed with in the last decade, maybe more. But it had to be abandoned sometime during our lives. We didn’t go in. It was close to night time anyway, so we turned back.”

“Lynn, did you look in?” Lyssa asked.

“Yeah. There was a ballroom. It was pretty tore up. Some burn marks laced the place. It seemed it was abandoned during a party of some sort.” The bell rang, dismissing us from lunch, and we stood to go back to class. “But as I said, we turned back. Morty may love the color black, but she hates the dark.”

I turned my head to my friend, “What side of town were you on?”

“Southeast. Why?”

“I’m just wondering.” I know what I’m doing this weekend.

                                                                                             ***

“So, we’re gonna go exploring on the southeast side of town?” his voice asked me. He was laying on my bed, as I sat at my desk fumbling with my phone. I was trying to see if Google Maps had an image of the manor. Lynn had told us that her phone had died, and they had to rely on Morty’s to get them back to Morty’s car.

I spun in my swivel chair (just saying, I love swivel chairs, if you haven’t already noticed), “Zac. I feel like this has something to do with my past.” I looked at my phone. Well, Google is a lost cause. Never thought that I’d say that…

“I just don’t see why I have to go.” He whined. “It’s Saturday, Cole. I wanna relax… Senior year is killing me.”

I laid my phone on the desk behind me and rolled across the room, coming to a stop beside my bed. “You’re my guard. My general got his ass beat across a football field last night. My gamma is spending the day with her mom and sister. My delta is probably already high… or hungover…” I cleared my throat, “And my beta is spending time with her boy.”

Zac leaned towards me, “What about Jackle?”

“Pretty sure he’s sleeping at Ross’s right now.”

“Cody?”

I stuck my thumb to my far wall just as a loud moan ricocheted through the wall, “In Ellie.”

“Connor?”

“Playdate with Artie.”

“Tony?”

“Dad’s in an important meeting with your father.”

Zac looked confused, “How come we aren’t in there with them?”

I crossed my legs, “I told him that we are ‘bonding’ today. He says that we still have a long way to go to get along.” I stood up really fast causing my chair to roll across my bedroom and me to feel increasingly dizzy. I grabbed my head, “Head rush.” I then looked at him, “Let’s go.”

I walked out the door just as Zac yelled, “What about lunch?!” He ran after me.

“We leave after lunch, dumbass.”

“Dinner then?”

“McDonalds. You’re paying.”

“Why?”

I stopped in the hall and looked at him, “Because I don’t want to pay. Maybe next time I’ll buy you something.” I then continued on to the kitchens.

                                                                                           ***

Each step I took caused a crunch to be heard. I looked up from the stick that I had just stepped on seeing a road, I took off running. “Cole! Wait for me!”

“C’mon Alpha-Boy, keep up!” I paused at the road. He came to a stop next to me, breathing hard. “I thought that soccer players had endurance?”

“We do.”

“Then where’s yours?”

“Cole?”

“Yes, Zac?”

“Which way?”

I thought back to what Lynn had told us, “Left… I hope.”

Zac walked in front of me, “If you get us lost, I’m going to kill you.”

“Fine by me.” I told him. I started down the road hopefully leading to the old manor. Maybe there are clues to this picture there.

We eventually found a locked gate. I grabbed the rusty bars in my hands, pulling back trying to see if it would open. Nothing. _Maybe if I just…_ I threw all of my weight behind the force I used trying to push it open. Again, nothing happened. Zac started laughing, “Want me to try, Princess?”

“Bet it won’t work for you.” I sassed him. God. I really despise him today. Since we left the pack house, he’s only complained or made fun of me. He really needs a punch in the fa-I heard a rusty groan which made me nearly snap my neck in surprise.

“You coming, Princess?” He asked from inside the gate.

My mouth dropped, “How did you-When did you-Wha?” He turned and started up the drive way. As I stepped across the gate entrance, a sense of deja vu crossed me. “It feels like I’ve been here before.” I whispered. “What was this place?”

Zac stopped at a weathered stone. He knelt next to it and rubbed his hand across it, trying to clear off some of the dirt. “B? R? P?”

“B.R.P.? Are there anymore letters?” I walked up behind him.

“No, the rest are weathered too bad to read. But I’m with you in the whole déjà vu thing. It’s like I’ve been here before…” He pushed off the ground and started to the doors. Zac pull the doors for few minutes while I just smirked at him.

“Dumbass.”

He looked at me from his spot on the top of the stairs, “What?”

“The doors locked.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.”

I smiled, “That’s Connor, not me… There’s a broken window this way. I could probably fit through it.”

He glanced at me, “Look at you. The Alpha that always is breaking into things.” Zac jumped over the railing and landed next to me, “Well? Where is it?” I led him around the side of the manor, pointing to an intricate, gigantic, but broken window. “You’re climbing on my shoulders this time.”

“My sword hates everybody. We didn’t even think that it would react to me! So of course I had to climb onto your short ass shoulders to reach the sword!”

“Princess.”

“Alpha-boy,” I replied cocking out my hip in defiance.

He dropped his shoulders, “Fine. Climb on.”

 “You drop me, I kill you,” I said as I climbed up him. Never thought that I’d say that. Who would have thought that the small Zac Gordon would be taller than me? I stretched my hands to the broken window, “Move closer.” He stepped closer to the window. Once my hands curled around the seal, I leaned further to it. “Can you slide out from between my legs?”

“Why, Princess? I kinda like it here.”

“I’ll tell Dad.” He quickly gripped the back of my thighs and pushed up, sliding under me. My combat boots caught on to the openings between the bricks. I propelled my body through the small opening, glazing my left side on the broken glass.

I stood up and brushed off the excess dirt. I coughed slightly, looking around the dusty room. It’s a ballroom, “Zac?”

“Yea?”

“Do you see the French Doors?”

“Yea. Why?” He questioned.

I walked over opening them, “This is why. Now come on.” As soon as he stepped in, his eyes widened. “What?”

“I seriously feel like I’ve been here before.” I nodded as he walked around. “There was a gala here.”

Again I nodded as I looked around. I spotted something sticking out from behind an upturned table, “What is that?” Zac turned to look at me from the scorched painting he was looking at.

I tilted the table up and saw a teddy bear. The bear seemed really familiar, but then again. It’s a teddy bear. I leaned over and picked it up. I heard children’s laughter, _“Come on, Princess!”_

“Zac! Did you hear that!?!”

“Cole, I didn’t hear anything.” He walked over to me and touched the bear with me. A bright light surrounded us causing me to close my eyes.

                                                                                     ***

_Lights and sounds surrounded us. A pair of little children sat together playing with the bear. The girl had her legs stretched out in front of her, poofy red dress pooling around her. The boy seated next to her had on a vivid blue shirt. They reminded me of the picture that I have. The boy looked at the girl, “Princess?”_

_“Yes, my knight?” she asked him._

_“I’m going to be your knight forever, right?”_

_“Yes, silly. A princess always needs her knight to stand beside her and save her from trouble.”_

_I looked around the room, taking in all the sights and sounds. “Zac? Son? Where are you?”_ What’s Dave doing here? _“Tony, have you seen Zac?”_

_My father looked a lot younger than he does now, “I can’t find Cole either. Connor, Cody!” Dad’s voice echoed throughout the ball room. Soon enough a little boy toddled over with a teenage boy following close behind. “Have you two seen your sister?”_

_“Which one?” The teenager asked._ That’s Connor. Then the little boy is CW! _“Father, we have four.”_

_“Cole. Have you seen Cole?” he asked again._

_Little Cody smiled big and wide, “She’s catching cooties from a boy.”_ What year are we in? If I’m the little girl…

_“It’s 2005, Codes. Boys don’t have cooties.” Connor sassed the five year old._

_Cody looked at him, “You’re just old, Con.”_

_“I’m 17!”_

_“And I’m 5.” Cody said. I felt a hand land on my shoulder._

_I looked to my left and saw Zac standing next to me in a vivid blue shirt,_ “Princess, your clothes…”

“What do you mean my clothes? You should see yours!” _I replied. I moved my hands and felt a large skirt where my skinny jeans should be. I looked down at the dress,_ Poofy Red Dress?! _My head snapped up to look at Zac,_ “There is no way. This cannot be happening.”

 _I heard the beat change to a waltz. I looked through the crowds seeing the little boy and little me dancing._ “Cole, who’s that little girl dancing with me?”

                                                                                            ***

When I opened my eyes, I saw the dusty room again. I then clutched the bear closer to my chest as I ran out of the room, Zac hot on my heels. “Cole? Where are we going?” I made it to the foyer, hooking up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I shot down the left hall, running to the room I knew that would be there. I got to the door and stopped at it. The crooked letters, stick figures, and stickers on the door told me whose room this was. I heard Zac crash into the double door at the end of the hall. He walked over to me clutching his head, “Why did you do that?”

“I figured out the letters. B.R.P. means Blood Run Pack. Do you know where we are now?” He shook his head. I uncurled my right arm to the door and twisted the door knob, “Go on. I’ll be in in a minute.” I watched from the door frame as Zac explored the room.

“Blood Run Pack House. This was my room! Holy shit!” He laid down in the floor.

“And this is my bear! I finally found Puha.” I replied.

Zac looked up at me, “Puha is technically mine.”

I sat down beside him, “Nuh uh, you gave him to me. I believe you said something along the lines of ‘This is yours now. The knight always give presents to the princess, at least that’s what Evie says’.” I looked around the room, “I still don’t know what happened that night.”

Zac sat up next to me, “Maybe your dad knows. Or maybe Connor. Or-”

“The picture! Papa knows!” I stood up quickly, “C’mon! He knows!” Zac slowly stood up, his stomach growling in the process. “We can get food on the way back.” He smiled at me then took off running. I clutched the bear and followed after him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It’s safe to say that Papa had no idea about what happened at the gala. Dad and Dave were out of the question considering that they were still in that damn meeting. I flopped into my office chair and looked at the boy stretched across my couch. “Now what do we do?”

“I really don’t know. Relax for the time being, I guess.” I still had Puha in my arms. I kicked my feet on the papers spread across my desk. “What am I gonna do?”

Zac folded his hands behind his head, “I know what I’m gonna do.”

“What’s that? Get laid a few more times before your mate comes into the picture?” I smirked at him.

He looked at me, “You never would have openly said that years ago.”

“People grow up, Gordon.”

“You’re right… But, no, I’m not.  I’m going to do everything in my power to get my mate to fall for me before my birthday.” He stated looking at the ceiling.

I leaned back, narrowing my gaze, “Boy, you turn eighteen in less than a month. I highly doubt that.”

“Not if their birthday happens after mine.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah I do know them.”

I sat up, “Is it Delian?” He chucked one of the throw pillows off my couch at my head. I dodged it, laughing at his disgruntled expression.

“Grayson,” he whined at me like a toddler.

I laughed even harder, “Delian has to deal with a toddler for the rest of his life.” Zac pouted. We heard a knock on the door. Again, my friends and family just barge in. “It’s open.” I said, still laughing at the pouting teenager.

Kalmin stood in the doorway, “Alpha Princess,” he said. I swung my feet off my desk, sitting up elegantly, sobering up in the process. Zac sat up quickly, sitting like an Alpha would, dropping his pout off his face.  “Am I interrupting?” He asked eyeing the empty Big Mac containers and McDonald’s fry boxes in the trash can beside my desk.

“No, Alpha Prince. You can sit down.”

“Alpha Princess, please call me Kalmin.” He said as he sat in the chair opposite of mine. “I have been looking for you all day. Where have you been?”

“Out,” I answered. “Why do you want to know?”

He smiled at me, “Because, if we’re going to be mates, I need to know where you go and who you’re with. I hope you weren’t with your guard at all today.” This controlling spoilt child thinks that he can dictate who I can and can’t hang out with. 

Before I could answer, Ollie walked in. See, I told you that they just barge in! “Hey Cole!” he said while ignoring Kalmin. He flopped on the couch beside Zac, who looked slightly angry. _That boy is really weird._ I thought. Ollie stretched his gangly limbs out, “Watch out, Zac. My muscles are really sore. I can barely feel them. I got beat across the field last night. Tackling is harsh, man. But getting tackled sucks balls.” Zac eyed him for a minute, then shook his head, muttering something about incompetent American footballers.

“Well what did you expect when you decided to play football?” I asked, a smile gracing my features as my best friend decided to save me from starting a war. I would have killed Kalmin for that comment.

Ollie looked at me, “Honestly?” He then leaned his head back onto the back of the couch, “I thought that I’d be the quarterback…not a running back.” Kalmin looked really confused. Ollie noticed this, “Wait, does he not know what football is?”

“Is it not where you kick the ball into the goal?” Kalmin asked.

Ollie dropped his jaw, “Cole, babe, are you hearing this?”

Kalmin narrowed his eyes at me, “Are you mated with your general, Alpha Princess?” I face palmed. _This is why I never let Ollie meet the royals of another pack._ I felt Artemis’s agreeing nod.

“No, Kalmin. He’s just my friend. My friends call me ‘Cole’.” I said through muffled hands.

“Then he must address you as ‘Alpha Princess’, not ‘Ole’ or whatever. When we are mated, they will only address you as ‘Alpha Princess’ then ‘Alpha Queen’ once you are crowned.”

My head shot up. I felt Artemis start growling. I heard an ‘uh oh’ come from Ollie. “You think that we are going to be mated?” I asked with my voice at a low octave.

“Of course we are. We are fated to be mated.” He stated.

I put my hands on my desk and slowly stood up, “You think that we are going to be mated?”

He looked at me confused, “Is that not what I just said?”

“You honestly think that we are going to be mated?” I started laughing.

I saw Ollie look at Zac and say, “I think she has finally lost it.”

Kalmin glared at me, “Of course we are! My mother told me so! You are an Alpha and I am an Omega! It works just like that!” I laughed even harder.

“Your highness, you have a whole hell of a lot to learn,” Zac answered him.

Kalmin spun to face him, “What do you mean by that, _guard_?” Zac’s eyes flashed piercing green, before he took a deep breath with his eyes closed. When they reopened, the brown was back in place.

Ollie answered, “Health education may suck here in America, but we at least know that only a wolf who has Heats and a wolf who has Ruts can mate properly to produce offspring. What did you think that because you are an Omega, you have Heats, and she is an Alpha, she has Ruts?” Kalmin nodded. Ollie smirked, “Last I checked, Cole has Heats.”

“An Alpha only has ruts.” Kalmin said.

Zac, Ollie, and I all course, “Not all of them!” Lyssa, Lynn, and Rora all chose that moment to walk in with Morty and Ellie right behind them.

“Why are you three yelling at Alpha Prince!?” Rora asked.

Zac looked from Kalmin to Rora, “This _Alpha Prince_ seems to think that all Alphas have ruts.”

Lynn then looked at me, “But you don’t.”

“I know that I don’t!” I threw my hands up.

“Let me handle this,” Lyssa said. “Alpha Prince, your father wants to see you. Something along the lines of, ‘If we don’t leave now, I’m declaring war’.” Kalmin ran out of the room. We all looked at Lyssa in question, “He is actually leaving for his hotel.”

“Oh.” I looked around, “All we’re missing is-” The office doors slammed open again. CW, Jackle, Kye, Link, and Parker strolled in like they owned the place. I’m pretty sure that Link even posed. “Never mind. What are you all doing here?”

“I was here all along,” Zac said, looking down. He walked around to my swivel chair, flopping down with a pout on his face. _Jesus, he’s like a gigantic child that never gets his way._ Artemis started to snicker.

I huffed, “Not you.” I gestured to everyone else, “These guys!”

“Well, you seemed lonely.” Jackle answered.

Zac and I shared a look, “She’s been with me all day. We were ‘bonding’.”

Everyone started laughing. Ellie sputtered out, “You two? _Bonding_? Over what?”

“Their abilities to be an Alpha,” resonated a deep voice from behind guys. I stood on my tip toes, stretching my neck, trying to see over the boys. _I’m too short for this shit. Or maybe they’re just too tall?_ I walked over to my desk and climbed atop of it. _Ah. Much better._ Papa, Dad, and Dave walked into my office. I waved to them, Dad froze, “Cole? What are you doing on the desk?”

I plopped down on my desk, innocently kicking my legs like a child, “The boys are way too tall for me to see anything.” He looked at me, then nodded. “Anyway, how can I help you, today?”

“I was wondering how your bonding went with Zac.” Dad stated plainly as the boys moved out the way, allowing our superiors to come in.

I hope that Puha is hidden well enough. “Pretty well.”

Dave eyed us, “What exactly did you two get into?”

Zac answered for me, “Exploration of one of the woods and Mc Donald’s.”  They nodded at us. “There’s something you want to tell us, isn’t there?”

Dad looked down, nodding. “Dad? What’s going on?” _Why does everything important either happen in my or Dad’s office? Why not CW’s office? Or Jackle’s? They have perfectly good ones._

“The meeting we held earlier… Dave had interrogated the rouge. He was relaying what the rouge had said to us. We’re on the brink of war again,” Dad said softly. “I don’t want any of you getting injured, or-I wouldn’t be able handle myself…”

“Who are we going to war with?” Ollie asked, crossing his arms.

Dave let out a breath, “The Rogues had found Jason. He’s partnering with them to destroy us.”

“Why though?” Link asked.

Jackle leaned against my desk, “Power, money? What else would he want?”

“Cole.” Zac said angrily. _If he’s not acting like a child, then he is angry._

“I highly doubt that he wants me.”

Zac’s hands slammed onto the table, causing me to jump, “You weren’t there, Grayson. You don’t know what he said about you.” He said lowly, a growl coming from his chest.

I raised an eyebrow, “Gordon, I’m not scared of Jason. I’m a strong Alpha, I can fight for myself.” I turned to Dave, “Did the rogue give you any truthful evidence? Something to make everything they said believable?”

Dave shared a look with my father before answering, “The rogue said that he has reason to believe it. Greer claims that the rogues are forming a pack to help Jason.” _Greer? As in the new, hot, Omega?!_ “But he didn’t give truly direct answers…”

“Who’s Greer?” Ollie asked with confusion.

Parker answered, “The new Omega in my pack.”

“Technically, _your_ pack is _Zac’s_ pack.” Link said, smacking him in the back of the head.

“No. Until I take over, it’s still Dad’s pack.” Zac claimed, rubbing his head.

I smirked, “Either way, it’s my pack.” Everyone laughed. Good, I can still diffuse the tension here. “Could I talk to Greer? He might give me direct answers.”

“I could go with her.” CW agreed with me. “Jackle could, too. He might talk to us because we’re not his direct leaders. We’re the big ones that lead everyone, not just the pack he’s part of.”

“Brother, I like the way you think.” My forest green eyes focused on his hazel-green eyes before shifting to our father’s green eyes. “Well Pater? What do you say?”

His eyes crinkled with pride, “Just be safe, all three of you.”

“I technically never agreed to this,” Jackle’s hand shot up pulling all attention to him. His stormy blue eyes looked around at everyone, “It’s just that this kid could be lying very easily. I don’t trust him.”

Zac spoke up from behind me, “I agree with Jackle. I don’t trust him at all.” He walked around to the front of the desk where I was seated, “Plus, I don’t want to put Co-Grayson in anymore danger than what she is already in.”

I saw Morty lean into the girls, “I don’t know whether he’s saying that as an Alpha or her guard. Or maybe there’s something else he’s hiding.” Morty is an extremely smart human. When Lynn found out that her new neighbor was her mate last year and was human none the less, she came storming into my house running straight for my father seated at the end of the table. Stopping short of Dad, he was mid-bite of his sub, she said, _“Sir, how the hell did you tell Lily that you weren’t exactly human?”_ Dad asked her why, she yelled that her new neighbor was a hot human who was her mate. Dad then told her how he explained to Mom that he wasn’t all human, and the rest is history.

“I’m not hiding anything, Morticia. I’m just worried. She could get kidnapped at any point and no one would know.”

“Anyone could kidnap her, Zac.” Lynn said. “Plus, if they tried, they have us and her family to go through before they can even get to her.” _Is she sober right now?_

 _I don’t even know anymore, Cole._ Artemis uttered with confusion evident in her voice. _I agree with you though._

_About what?_

_The fact that Zachary is acting like a toddler who doesn’t get his way._ Artemis told me. I started snickering out loud.

Everyone looked from Zac, standing next to me, to me, seated on the desk. “What?” I asked.

Papa furrowed his brow, “What’s so funny about the situation, Cole?”

“Nothing, Papa. I was just chatting with Artemis. She says that she sends her love to everyone here…” I turned to Zac, “Expect you.”

He crossed his arms, frowning, “Of course.” Everyone started laughing.

“You guys can leave now.” I smiled at them. They all started walking to the door, Zac lingering behind for a bit before turning to catch up with Link and Parker. Jackle remained in the office with me. “Jackle, what’s up?”

“I don’t know anymore, Cole.” He walked over to me. He seemed more depressed than what he usually is.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” When Jackle shook his head, I knew that it was worse today than it has been in a while. I grabbed my watch seeing what time it was. I smiled, “Do you wanna do something?” He nodded glumly, “Follow me.”

I jumped off my desk and walked to my balcony doors. I walked across my balcony to the edge of the roof. I started climbing up it, looking back to see if Jackle was still following. When we reached the ledge, I sat down and patted next to me. He sat down, “Why are we up here?”

“The stars and moon are nice tonight.” The sky that surrounded us had thousands of stars that were hidden during the day. Some of them were hidden at night considering that we live on the east cost of the US. The moon provided some illumination for the dark forest around the pack house. We could see how certain lights were still on, meaning the people were still up, and certain ones were dark, meaning different things could be happening in the darkness in the rooms.

We sat in silence for a while, just listening to the nocturnal animals, the distant howls of the patrols or the late night runs being taken, when Jackle spoke up again. “Momma’s gotten worse.”

Jackle’s mother got sick over the summer. The doctors told her that she might get to see him start college. “I’m sorry, Jackle. Did they say-”

“Cole, they don’t even know what the hell she has. It’s not every day that a perfectly healthy woman ends up hospitalized for something like what she has.” He gruffed.

“How’s Ross taking it?” I thought about Jackle’s boyfriend. It was funny. After Jackle and I broke up, he figured out that Ross is his mate. They were so awkward around one another for weeks till Ellie snapped and locked them in a closet together. When they came out of the closet, Jackle couldn’t walk straight.

He looked at his hands, “He’s taking it better than me.” I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “Cole, I have a baby brother. I don’t want Lukas to grow up without our mom,” he said with tears in his eyes.

I rubbed my hand over his arm, trying to comfort him. As Jackle curled up next to me, crying softly and keeping me close to him, I looked out over the grounds. I don’t know what to do in this situation. I can’t give him advice.

Maybe Dad could? But him and Sander where much older when Grandmamma died two years ago. Hell, Dad had grandchildren of his own. “I know, Jackle. I know.” He curled up closer to me. “Hey, I just realized, Lukas will have a mother. He’s got you.” He smacked my arm, “I’m joking.” I put my arms up in surrender, smiling at the boy curled up under my arm.

Jackle wiped his eyes with a bit of a smile on his face, “I guess I should get back to Ross, shouldn’t I?”

He still had tear tracks on his face. I grabbed his face and rubbed them off with my thumbs, “Yeah, you should.” I shivered when a gust of wind blew over us, “I’ll come in with you. It’s getting colder out here.” He started laughing at me. We both scaled back down to my balcony and left my office. I bid him a good night and went started to my room.

                                                                                       ***

_My sword was pointed to my neck and Jason pulled back getting momentum to thrust it into my neck._

I sat up panting. God, I hate that nightmare. I looked at my phone, _Wow. This time it ended at midnight. It’s getting faster to my death sentence._

I swung my legs over the side of my bed, sitting up. _Should I eat something? Or train more? How about some tea?_ I stood up and walked out my door heading to the pack house kitchens.

When I got to the kitchen, I saw Rora sitting at one of the counters snacking on ice cream. “Should you really be eating that, Rora?”

She looked at the spoon full of ice cream at the end of her spoon, “Probably not, but as Lynn says ‘YOLO’.” She then shoved the spoon into her mouth. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the chamomile tea and a mug from the cabinet. I looked back at my friend as she asked me, “Want some?” with her mouth full of ice cream.

“I would, but I already had some.” I then eyed her just as my tea stopped burring. “What are you doing up so late?”

“How do you know?”

“Know what, Rora?” I asked while stirring the honey into my tea.

She looked at the ground, zoning out, “Deal with all the boy drama in your life?”

I stopped mid-stir, “I typically just ignore them. Why do you ask?”

“I’m fairly certain that I may have a crush on Damein.”

“A crush?” I eyed my distraught Gamma. “Rora, just last week you couldn’t even look at him because of the things he said to you.”

She looked at me, “You do it, though…”

“Do _what_?” I asked mildly confused. Rora was spilling nonsense. Damein wronged her months ago. He had _‘asked her out’_ then presumed to stand her up. Lyssa and I about killed him. No one wrongs our shy, little Rora.

“You have a crush on Zac!” She said, looking me dead in the eyes.

My mouth dropped open, “Rora, what do you mean by that? I can barely stand him, let alone work with him.” I sat my mug of tea on the counter.

Rora narrowed her gaze, “I was trying to find you Saturday morning, but you were nowhere to be found. I wanted to talk to you about this. I checked the training room, the kitchens, your room. Hell, I even checked Zac’s room. I then ran into Link. He was trying to find Zac the whole day. We eventually ran into our friends and left before I found you with Zac and Ollie yelling at the Alpha Prince!”

“Whoa, what’s with all the yelling?” CW stood in the door way shirtless. _Why do the boys never wear shirts?_

“I just asked Cole a question about how she deals with boys.” Rora stated.

I then noticed that he had hickeys, “Maybe you should be asking him on how he figured it out, Rora. You know that I’m no good with this.” I picked up my tea, “And, me and Gordon are barely acquaintances at this point.”

“What is going on?” CW questioned looking at Rora.

I lifted the lip of my mug to my glass, “Damein.” Rora glared at me. “What?”

CW looked at her, “Rora, what’s so special about him? Cole and Lyssa nearly killed him the last time…”

“He’s cute…”

“And me and Gordon are dating,” I said with a blank expression on my face. I sat my mug down, softening my expression, “Rora, we just don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“My sister’s right, Rora.” She mumbled something. “What was that?”

“I think he might be my mate…” she said softly. That’s when I did a spit take. Not even 1 in the morning and I was already losing my shit. “Can we just continue this later? Please?” I nodded and she stood up and left. I looked at my brother, wondering where the hell everything changed…


	9. Chapter 9

Monday morning put me in the middle of Anatomy. I had my laptop open with the notes up on my screen, ears listening to watch my teacher was saying, and hand trying to keep up with her. Lynn flipped the sheet in her notebook, continuing on with her notes being well ahead of me. I frowned at her. Ember huffed in frustration as she pushed her long wavy blonde hair out the way, writing quickly. 

We all looked frazzled. My coffee sitting in my travel mug, barely touched. I was barely awake as it was, struggling to keep my eyes open. Not to mention when a knock sounded on the door and Zac walked in like he owned the place, “I need to speak with Cole Grayson.”

My eyes went to my teacher and she nodded. I stood up and glared at the giggling Lynn. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I walked through the door, “What is it, Zachary?”

“I know you haven’t been sleeping. That’s not good for your health, Cole.”

“News flash, Zac, but I haven’t had a good nights’ sleep since middle school.” I tiredly sassed him. “What was the real reason that you needed me?”

He looked at me, “We’re not done with this discussion. Principle Maksonn wants to see us in his office.”

“I think we’re done. What does he want?”

“If I knew, would I have come and got you?”

I looked at him, “You said that he ‘wants to see us’. As in ‘Me and You’. So yeah, you would have come to get me.” I started up the slanted hall heading to the office. 

His footsteps followed me before he started walking next to me. I eyed him as we turned down the main hall. He seemed angrier than when I last saw him on Saturday night. I frowned as he led me into the head principal’s office. Principal Maksonn sat behind his desk, toying with one of the many pens that was on said desk. He looked up at the two of us standing before him, “Ah, Zac and Cole. How are my two favorite Alphas doing?”

“I’m doing fine, sir.” Zac answered him. “Can’t say much for her, though” he muttered. 

My eyes widened at Zac, before narrowing. I turned to our principal, “Very well, sir. Why did you call us here, if I may ask?” 

The man leaned forward, “I got a call from your fathers saying that you two have an extremely important meeting to preside over at noon. Tony said that you two are to meet with me because his secretary faxed me what you two need to go over for the meeting.”

“Why aren’t Dad and Tony going?” Zac asked confusion evident on his features.

“Our fathers have regular jobs too, Zac. It gives the US government that we are all ‘human’ not ‘supernatural’.” I answered him. “Sir, are we checking out?” Maksonn nodded. He then handed me a manila folder filled with papers. I took the folder, thanked him, then walked out the office. I flipped the cover to see the first page. 

“‘Rogues?’ Why would they want us to lead a meeting about ‘rogues’ when they know all the information about them?” Zac asked me, leaning his head over my shoulder to see what I was looking at. 

“That’s a really good question, Gordon. An even better one is why they didn’t check out our leaders.” I closed the folder and turned to look at him, “Go back to class and grab your things. We have a meeting to lead.”

                                                                                      ***

The doors to the meeting hall opened before me. As a ruler, I’m supposed to be the last to arrive. But since Zac has a permit to park on our school campus and I don’t, he drove us to the pack house and walked in at the same time that I did. The Alphas’ stood up in respect for their superior, but seemed wary of me standing in the place of my father.

We walked to our respective seats with the other Alphas whispering to one another wondering  _ “Why isn’t Alpha King Grayson and Alpha Gordon here? Why would they send their  _ children _ in their place?” _ Excuse the rude ass old Alpha ways that say that an Alpha’s Alpha should not be a heat bearing wolf, let alone a woman. Plus Zac and I are of age to be able to actually have most of our Alpha powers. 

I sat down and looked around. The hushed questioning continued as if I wasn’t in the room. I started shuffling my materials around, straightening papers and pens, opening my notebook and manila folder, allowing my slight case of OCD to show. I cleared my throat, “Do you know why we are here today?” Nothing.  _ Hmm… What to do? _

_ Why don’t you use your Alpha voice?  _ Artemis suggested.

_ That’s not a bad idea.  _

I followed Artemis’s suggestion and used my Alpha voice to gain their attention. Zac jumped when I used it, having not heard the full force of it before. I smirked at his terrified expression. The Alphas stopped whispering amongst themselves, paying attention to me. “Well, do you?” When the collectively shook their heads no (Zac shook his head ‘no’ which really confused me considering we covered the contents in the folder on the way over here), I rubbed my hands over my face. “Jason is at it again, but he has an ally in this pack. As my father said over the weekend, we have reason to believe that he has allied with the rogues. Alpha Gordon, if you will?”

“Right away, Alpha Princess Grayson.” Zac stood up, drawing attention to him, “As you know, my pack has received some new members last month. To be allowed in the pack, I don’t know if Father has told you, someone must go through rigorous questioning before and after being allowed in the pack. He has questioned both the new Omega and elderly Warrior. What the Omega said brought light to the whole problem.

“Father first questioned the elderly warrior. She had no idea as to what Jason was planing. He then questioned the Omega. The Omega claimed that Jason was with the Rouges, but had no idea what Jason is planning.” Zac cleared his throat and continued, “Father, Alpha King Antonio, and Alpha Charles all explained to us in the Alpha Princess’s office what they had found out. The Alpha Princess,  the Alpha Prince, and the Blood Prince are going to be questioning the Omega soon to see if they can get a better answer.” Where the hell did he learn to speak like that? 

“What of your father, Alpha Princess? I thought that maybe he would want to question this Omega,” the Alpha from the Evergreen Pack out in California. 

I looked to Alpha Daniel, “I, as well as the Blood Prince and my brother, thought that it would be best for us to question him. Father whole heartily agreed with us. He told me that it is a learning experience that we can use once the three of us and our mates are crowned.” 

Alpha Jobe from the Nightfall Pack asked me, “How is that going, Alpha Princess?”

“How is what going, sir?” I asked him.

“You and Alpha Gordon over there have  yet to find your mates, have you two not?” He asked me and Zac. I should not have opened my mouth about the coronation. 

Zac spoke up from beside me, “Sir, I have found my mate. I can assure you that the princess is in fact looking, but she is also busy at this time. Give her some space to think and look, if you will.” 

“Who is the Luna of Blood Run then?” Alpha Jobe turned his questioning to Zac.

“She is a woman of class and stature. She will not hesitate to defend her friends and family. Plus, I’m slightly scared of her... she can be very terrifying,” Zac answered the man. 

All the Alphas nodded, agreeing with him about Lunas being scary as hell. I crossed my legs and started swing my right foot, trying to distract myself from the matter at hand. Zac eyed me and nodded as if to say ‘ _ I got you covered, Princess.’   _ I gave him a greatful smile, before turning back to the Alphas in the meeting hall, “I feel like we discussed most of what we know of, today. Plus me and Alpha Zac, here, still have to attend school today. So, I guess, this meeting is adjourned?” The Alphas chuckled and stood up. I stood up and walked down the hall to the double doors with Zac walking behind me. I heard the shuffling of papers and the low talking as the doors closed behind us. 

Zac walked up next to me, “I don’t have to back at school yet... What class do you have right now?” 

“Well, what block are we in?”

“Third block.”

I thought about it for a moment.... “I have no idea. I typically follow the girls from class to class everyday. They know my schedule, so they lead me around the school.” 

He started laughing, “Woman, how are you gonna rule if you don’t know your class schedule?”

I looked up at him as we reached the garage, “You’re forgetting that I have Lyssa, Lynn,  Rora, and Ollie!” 

“You got me there, Princess.” He said while unlocking his car. I slid into the front seat and watched as he pulled out his phone only to start cussing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked with an eyebrow raised. He shook his head. “Zac, what’s wrong? Is the school on fire?” 

He started laughing. “Nope, but Dad has decided that we have training right after school.” I just looked at him, trying to get him to explain why it was so bad to train with me. “I have work right after school today. It is kind of difficult to be at work when I’m supposed to be at Alpha Training...” he answered as he plopped into the car. “Well, I’m gonna drop you off and see if someone can cover my shift.” 

“Cool beans.” I replied as I cut on my phone to play one of the many games on it. It kept blowing up with notifications and messages from the girls and Ollie.

“Did you even here what I said, Cole?” 

“You said, and I quote, ‘Well, I’m gonna drop you off and see if someone can cover my shift’, end quote.” I answered never taking my eyes off the game I was playing. I heard a huff of breath and a mumble of ‘ _ Why are you like this?’   _ come from the driver’s seat as we pulled out of the garage. I smirked knowing that he was only upset because he wasn’t expecting me to be so quick to reply. 

***

I stared at my laptop screen and groaned internally.  _ Why can’t we talk in study hall? _

_ Because you need to study, Cole.  _ came Artemis’s answer. 

_ Did I ask you, wolfie?  _

When no reply came, I ripped a piece of notebook paper to use it as a note to pass to Lynn. I wrote out the question to borrow her laptop charger. She looked at me and nodded as she reached into her book bag. She handed me the charger and raised an eyebrow in question. I shook my head to not ask. Lynn looked at Cleo seated on the other side of me, shaking her head. That’s when I felt an odd feeling wash over me. 

It felt like I was stressing over something... I mean, yeah, I am under a lot of stress, but this was much more that just the regular stress that I have felt since learning of the second war. I gripped my head because it became too much to bear.

The teacher then dismissed the seniors to leave for home, work, or the extracurricular activities. Lynn was halfway to the door when she realized that I was still putting up my chair. “Cole? You okay?” I nodded slowly as to not mess with my headache. “Come on if you want to get to the parking lot before the underclassmen.” I nodded my head in agreement, grabbing my phone off the table. I walked towards her, squinting from the pain of the headache. “I’m going to text Cody to tell Tony that you are not going to training this afternoon. You look like shit, Cole.” Lynn said as we paused at the door leading to the bus lot. 

I ran my fingers through my hair, “Lynn, I have to go to training. Gordon and I have Alpha training today. CW is going to be with Mom to learn about what he’s gonna be taking over in a few months. I’ll be fine…” I slipped my sunglasses out of my pocket and onto my face. I then pushed open the door and got hit with the ever blinding sun. “Damn sun, back at it again with the brightness?” I said as Lyssa and Rora caught up with us, forming a decent size group in the middle of the empty bus lot. 

Rora didn't look as amused as I thought she would be with me. I looked over her shoulder to see Zac storming to my group. I raised my eyebrow watching the furious boy get closer and closer. Lyssa also noticed him, “What is he gonna do?” I shrugged as an answer. 

“Cole!” he yelled. Lynn and Rora jumped not noticing the fuming Alpha.  “I know what you did!” 

My eyes widened as the girls turned to look at me, “I swear I didn’t do anything this time.” I put my hands up in defense. 

Zac pushed through Lynn and Rora before looming over me. I feel like he’s gonna use this new height of his to his advantage… 

                                 *****

_ I peeked around my father as he laughed at something the man in front of us said. CW was talking to the boy that was with the man. “Maybe they’ll get along,” The man said, “Cody seems to be getting close with him.” He then turned to the boy, “Son, why don’t you introduce yourself to the princess?” _

_ Dad turned his head to me as the boy left CW’s side, “Sweetie, he’s nice. You’ll be good friends, I promise.” I slowly walked from behind my father to stand in front of the boy. He came up to my chest once I realized his size.  _ How is this kid an Alpha?  _ I tbought.  _

_ Then he spoke, “My name is Alpha Zachary Richard Gordon, but most call me Zac. You are?” _

_ I smiled at him, “Alpha Princess Colette Barbara Grayson. I prefer to go by Cole. It’s nice to meet you, Zac.” I stuck out my hand for him to shake.  _

_ He then eyed my hand before turning back to the man, “ There is no way that this girl is my Alpha. No way at all.” _

_ My eyes narrowed behind my glass, expression turning furious. “What do you mean by that, Zac?” _

_ “What I mean is that there is no way that you got the Alpha gene.” Zac said to me. I growled, launching myself at him. Once the fist started flying, Dad and Mr. Gordon finally decided to intervene.  _

_ “Dave, I'm not sure that Cole and Zac were prepared to meet one another,” Dad said while holding onto my arms. I was glaring at the boy in his father's arms. _

_ Mr. Gordon looked between us, “Tony, my old friend, I think you’re right…” _

__ *****

I glanced at him, “What did I do this time?”

“I didn't have a headache until a few minutes ago!” He yelled just as the bell rang, dismissing the underclassmen and my sister.

A frown graced my features, “You have a headache, too?”

He looked confused, “Yea?”

Lyssa grabbed Rora and Lynn, pulling them away from us. She called over her shoulder that they’d see me tomorrow. I yelled back, “Love you guys! See you later!” before grabbing his arm. “Take me to your car. We have to get to training. I’m pretty sure that Dad has Tylenol that we can take for these headaches in his truck.”

“I really am doubting my ability to drive because of this goddamned headache!”

“Well maybe if you stopped yelling, then it might go away,” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “And how do I play into you having a headache?” I shifted my bookbag up higher on my back looking at the boy walking next to me.  _ Where had he parked at? I see Ollie’s Jeep looking thingy, but not Zac’s car… _

“Because you-” He started before he abruptly stopped, “Nevermind. We’re here anyway.” I walked around to the passenger side and climbed in. I tossed my bookbag into the back seat of his car copying his motions.

I squinted at him, “Zachary, I really want an answer.” I felt the car jerk as he left off the emergency brake before reversing out of the parking spot.

He glanced at me as we stopped at the line, “Cole, if I were you, I’d let it go.” I huffed at him.

Once we finally got on one of the main roads of Roanoke, I sharply reminded him that we either had to go the pack house or stop at both of our houses to grab our gear for training. He just smirked before taking a detour.

***

_ I laid my hands gently on the start line holding my position, watching Zac carefully as he readied his stance at the line. At 13, he is considered to be one of the quickest young Alpha males around. I pushed my glasses up just as CW yelled “Go!” Zac and Link took off around the curve. I gave them a second before taking off myself.  _

_ I hit the curve before finally catching up with the two boys. They started going faster as they hit the back straightway. Lyssa was at the finish line timer in hand as Lynn and Ollie flanked her with Parker and Kye behind her. They started screaming at me to go faster, but I couldn’t hear them over the roar of the wind in my ears. I hit the second curve as the boys got half through it. I caught them as they crossed the line of the final stretch. I passed them fairly easily crossing the finish line. I jogged to about halfway up the first curve before turning back to everyone.  _

_ “No way, she didn’t clock that fast.” Zac said gaining on Lyssa. “You started it when she hit the backstretch.” I walked forward and stepped between my best friend and the small Alpha in front of us.  _

_ I looked down to him, “Gordon, can you not handle the fact that I’m the quicker Alpha?” _

_ “Shut up, Princess.” His eyes narrowed at me. _

_ “Oh, that’s it!”  _

_ I swung my fist at him, but before it could land on his face, CW grabbed it, shaking his head. “Sis,” he warned. I huffed and stalked back to the old park. I heard CW scolding Zac for disrespecting Lyssa and to give it a break.  _

_                                                                        *** _

The gravel shifted under the tires of the car as we pulled up to the old park, “You’ve been here lately, Princess?” Zac asked looking at my flabbergasted expression.

“Honestly, I haven’t been back since I nearly decked you in the face all those years ago…” 

He laughed as I jumped out of the car, “Doesn’t surprise me, you’ve been busy since then.” I ran up to the rusty fence and grabbed it before hauling my body over the fence. 

“Why’d you bring me here?” I asked as he jumped over the fence. 

Zac flopped on the ground, “Well, sometimes people need to take breaks, both mental and physical. I’m trying to give you a chance to relax somewhat. No one truly knows about this place.”

I looked at the boy who was currently laying in the sunlight like he was trying to tan, “We have training in-” I glanced at the time on my phone, “right now… Dad’s gonna kill us.” 

“No he won’t. Tony knows exactly where we are. He told me that this is our training today.” Zac’s eyes shot open, “I wasn’t supposed to say that…” 

I snickered and sat down next to him, “Karma’s a bitch.” He shook his head as he got comfortable again. I looked across the field, basking in the warm sunlight and the calming silence that nature brought to us. Sometimes, to relax you have to switch it up a bit. This is what I needed. I wonder how Zac knew that I needed this.

                                                                                    ***

“Cole!” the door to my office slammed open, causing me to jump and my government project to scatter. I looked at it sadly sitting on the floor with a pout on my face. All that hard work down the drain. At least, it’s due next week.

I looked up at the person before me, only to see my twin brother glaring at me. “Brother, can’t you see I’m busy. What the hell is so important for you to come barging into my office only to scare me and most likely ruin my chances at going to college?”

Cody slammed a manila folder, filled with papers down on the desk, “Did you know about this?” Better question is: Did he have that folder in his hand a minute ago?

“Know about what?” I asked leaning forwards in my chair. I grabbed the folder and leaned back, crossing my legs like a toddler in the process. I opened the folder to see numbers and names. I furrowed my brow in confusion, “Cody, what is this?”

“Apparently these are all the eligible Alphas around. Most of them are the sons of the Alphas that currently work for our father.”

“I still don’t know what you’re going on about.” I glanced up at him from going through the stack that Zac was hidden in. I pulled out his sheet because Cody suggested to grab one we know. I laid his on the desk looking at it. From his birthday all the way to the day he left for Alpha school. Important small little details that basically described the boy that we all knew. I looked up at my brother, “The way this paper is laid out is very similar to the dating websites that Connor uses.”

Cody nodded his head, “Exactly. That’s where this comes to play.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out an envelope. “I found this along with the folder of names laying on Dad’s desk. It was opened before I found it myself.”

I took the envelope eyeing my brother, “CW, what the hell were you doing in Dad’s office?” I opened the envelope, only seeing an invitation in there. I pulled it out as he answered me.

“He called me in there to talk earlier. It was very confusing cause he sounded even more stressed than usual.”

“He’s the Alpha King, of course he’s stressed.” I looked from my brother the the invitation.

_ Come to the Royal Alpha’s Ball _

_ You and your family are formally invited to the Royal Alpha’s Ball on the twenty-third of December. _

_ You will be able to meet the future queens and kings of the land before their presentations in May. _

_ This is a black tie event and the doors open at 7 pm. _

“Um…. what?” I asked as I finished reading it. “Black Tie event? The only reason we would hold a black tie ball is-OHMYGOD!” I screeched. 

Zac and his boys, who had to have been walking by at the time, came rushing into my office, “Grayson, what the hell is wrong?!” 

I started pacing back and forth, “Zachary, call my court and stand guard at the door with your boys, make sure no one can get in this room. Cody, did you find out how many of these were sent?”

“All over the world, sis. Why would Dad do this?”

I answered as my girls and Ollie came in, “Dad didn’t. One of the Alpha’s could easily do this. Especially one of the Royal Alphas.”

Lyssa walked to me, “What’s going on, babe?”

“Someone wants to show me off to all of these eligible Alphas. Wants me to find a mate.” I slapped the invitation onto the table. Cody had picked up Zac’s page and was putting it back with the help of Rora.

As they were going through it, Rora gasped. We all looked at her. She pulled out two other sheets and laid them on the table.  _ Alpha Prince Kalmin  _ and  _ Greer Lawerence.  _ “Uh… Why does Kalmin’s say he’s fated to be ma-”

“Forget Kalmin for right now, Rora. Why the hell did Greer get an invite? Isn’t he an Omega?” Lynn asked the real question. 

I walked to the door and opened it, “Gordon, can you come in for a second?” I asked sweetly. I knew what I was doing after all.

“Yeah, Princess. Give me a sec,” he responded. 

I turned back to my friends, seeing their unimpressed faces. “What? If anyone knows what the hell is going on in BRP, it’s Alpha-boy.”

“She’s right, but uh… why am I here? You told me to guard the door, Grayson?”

Cody crossed his arms, looking at his long time friend, “There are two of us in here, gotta be more specific.” We all just gave him a deadpan look. “Anyway, have you gotten anything in the mail recently?”

Zac shook his head, confusion written across his features. “I didn’t, but Dad did.”

“What if Kalmin or Greer is up to this?” Ollie spoke up from being completely silent. Zac asked what’s going on. Ollie continued upon seeing our confused expressions, “What I mean is, what if one of them is doing this to get Cole… Or even to get power?”

“What’s the Omegas gotta do with this?” Someone asked from behind me. A shock of black hair told me that Jackle was standing behind me. I eyed him, basically saying that you’re one to talk.

Zac looked around, “Jackle’s right. But I also wanna know what  _ I  _ have to do with this?”

I walked to my desk and grabbed both the invite and the manila folder. “These,” was all I said. The two boys looked at one another, before Zac walked up to the desk and opened the folder. 

Jackle peeked at them from over the Alpha’s shoulder, “Can someone tell me why Zac is holding a fertility type thing in folder form?”

I heard Lyssa start snickering as I sat down. I eyed her from behind my desk as Zac picked up the folder and walked to stand behind my chair. “Lyssa,” Ollie warned. 

“Why am I in here? I have a mate already.” Zac said from behind me. 

Cody picked up Kalmin’s profile, “I suppose Jackle would be in there too, had he not been claimed already. You know that marking will only truly take on an Alpha and a Royal if both parties do it at the same time.” Zac let out a noise of understandment. “What do we do, sis?”

I rubbed my left eyebrow feeling stress pick up to a tenfold, “I don’t know Cody, I seriously don’t know.”

                                                                                          ***

Later that afternoon, I sat in a massive bedroom that wasn’t either one of mine or my friends (Zac’s included). It was a room that was part of the Governor’s suite in the hotel we were staying at for the all important meeting in Charlottesville. I looked at the ensuite (I like when I have those and don’t have to put up with my siblings hogging everything) and wondered just what the hell am I supposed to do. Just as I leaned back, my door busted open. I glared at Lyssa as she strutted into the room, “The hell do you want?”

She went straight for my bag, “Get your lazy ass up. We’re gonna party.”

Half an hour later, I was staring at my face with bewilderment. On occasion I wear makeup, but never like this. I then stepped back only to see myself in a red crop top with fishnet stockings underneath my ripped black skinny jeans. “Can I at least wear my combat boots?” Lyssa nodded and went to her room to get ready.

At 9 pm that night, I stood watching as my friends disappeared into the “club”. The base was pounding in my ears, making me question why my friends brought me here. Rora appears before me ( _ I swear that wolf is actually a witch _ ) only to grab my arm and drag me into the middle of the floor. “Come on, Cole!”

I cocked an eyebrow as my friends started dancing. I mumbled about how this is worse than homecoming at the high school. “Fine, I guess.” I started to simply dance the way that I with my friends and all the other pulsing bodies around. My senses heightened around me as I took in the smells. One in particular seemed to make me start to struggle with Artemis. 

_ Cole, he’s here… _

_ Jason? _

_ No, our mate. He’s old enough. _

_ Artemis, what do you mean? _

_ His Alpha- _

“-le!” Lyssa gripped my arm. I noted that all of them were worried about me, “Is everything alright? You’re not have a panic attack again, are you?” She went straight into worry mode. I shook my head. In doing so, the sent became even stronger. I glanced at the bar, realizing that’s where the sent was coming from. That’s when the sent started moving and sounds started zoning in and out of my head.

Zac and the boys walked over with a fuming Cody, I couldn’t really hear them because the noise sounded like I was submerged in the pool at the Pack House. I noted that Zac had come to grip my arm to stop me from swaying. “-drugged possibly?” Parker asked something.

“She-anything.” Lynn reponsed.

“-cause?” Ollie asked.

“Mine.” was mine and Artemis’s combined response. I twitched to turn into Zac. 

“-out of here- away-might trig-” CW’s voice was almost silent when I felt a gentle tug on my arm. My eyes lazily followed it up to see Zac looking worried. He was trying to communicate with me to leave. As we started moving sounds were clearing up. I could hear everything again.

“Zac. Please.” was all I said. I heard the song  _ Scream _ come on. Usher knows how to get someone going. When Zac didn’t answer, I tugged on his arm hard. 

“No, Cole.” He looked at me and I could see the internal struggle of man and wolf showing in his eyes as the piercing green of his wolf’s eyes started swirling into the chocolate brown of his eyes. I could feel my struggle approaching even more so. 

“Please.” I then was pushed against the wall of the hall leading to the exit and a mouth descended on mine. That’s when Artemis won which is bad, because a human and wolf are supposed to have the same memories for their protection in the long run. If a wolf takes over…

                                                                                            ***

_ Brightness _ . All I saw was brightness. I clenched my eyes together trying to stay asleep. I rolled onto the other side of the bed smelling Zac’s scent. But it almost smelt stronger. That’s when I pushed myself up, every single muscle and joint groaning in the process.  _ What did I do last night? _ I thought as I walked to the ensuite. At least I made it back to the hotel room. I could hear my brother, father, friends, and Dave in the main kitchen area from my room discussing something. I opened the ensuite door, seeing Zac holding up a small mirror to look at his back that was pointed to the big mirror. 

“What happened to your back?” I asked sleepily taking in the scratches. 

“What happened to your- oh no.” He said as he looked at me. “I’m a dead man. Oh no.” He proceeded to drop the small mirror and grab my shoulders tilting my head in the process. 

That’s when I noticed his neck, “Gordon? Who marked- OH HELL NO!” After screaming loud enough for me to hear pounding footsteps (not loud enough to wake the whole hotel, I have respect for those who can sleep), and then the door to the bedroom fly open.  _ I thought Orion locked it last night _ .

Oh I’m gonna kill my wolf.


End file.
